Division of Power
by Chameleon777
Summary: A power descends from the vast reaches of space and divides, each half sent to a different fate. This power will cause fates to alter and decisions to change for many. It differs from the canon MMPR, but it still is good. A few things are different than the series, but still worth a read.
1. A Power Descends

_Clouds often spelt trouble if they were dark enough, often bringing the elements thunder, lightning, and heavy rain with it to descend on the city and its surrounding areas. This night, however, was different._

_A long pod fell from the black sky and as it sped towards the ground, a bolt of lightning struck it and immediately split it into two identical pieces. A sudden gust of wind sent the pieces in separate directions; one towards the Command Center and the other into a far off canyon near a river._

_As a piece of the broken pod hit the earth, the impact of it caused the ground to quake and its power was so great that Zordon sensed it immediately; he could feel the energy of a badly injured life form._

_And so it was that Zordon decided to take action, lest the pod and life form fall into the wrong hands..._

* * *

"Alpha!"

"Ay-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha shouted, his metallic body shaking as he moved through the Command Center to a computer, deeply unnerved by the sudden power surge. "Sensors detect that the pod is near here."

Within the safety of his transparent capsule, Zordon appeared, "Lock on to the pod and beam it and its life form to the Command Center before anyone knows of it," he replied in a grave tone. "On second thought, Alpha; beam the pod here and send the life form somewhere where it will be found and cared for by the Rangers. I sense that although the life form is powerful, it serves no threat to anyone."

Alpha nodded and began to input commands into the computer, "Why would such a life form come to Earth if it has no intention of causing harm?" he asked in an anxious voice. "Surely that is suspect."

"My instincts tell me that the life form was sent here," Zordon replied. "Have you locked on to the pod?"

Alpha pressed a button and the pod, which was no more than a badly damaged hunk of metal that had been broken and twisted in-flight. There was a space barely big enough for a person and drops of blood decorated the metal, as if the person had suffered injury before, during, or after the pod had crashed.

"Take that blood and have the computer analyze it," Zordon ordered. "You must contact Tommy to come to the Command Center and help you find out the identity of the life form. Even with his Green Ranger Power depleted, he can use the power of his heart to help us find out what we wish to know."

Although Alpha knew Billy would have been a more practical choice because of his computer skills, Alpha also knew that Zordon knew better. "I will contact Tommy and summon him here," Alpha replied in a nervous tone as he moved to the communication orb. "I hope the Rangers find the life form."

"They will, Alpha," Zordon replied confidently. "As long as we can protect it from evil, all will be well."

* * *

"Jason, hold on, I think I need a rest," Billy gasped, leaning over to touch his knees as he stopped on the road for a rest; he didn't like jogging in the rain, but Jason had wanted a buddy to go running with.

Jason, who was several yards ahead, stopped and turned around to face Billy, "If we keep this up, we're gonna end up sick," Billy gasped as he straightened up. "I know you want to help me get in better shape, Jason, but jogging in the rain on the side of the road isn't really practical or safe to be doing."

"I had no idea you felt that strongly about it," Jason replied in an amused voice as he grinned at Billy. "I'll make you a deal; we'll go another quarter of a mile and then we'll stop at Ernie's Juice Bar, okay?"

Billy nodded, but before he could comment, he spotted something just on the other side of the drenched bushes that decorated the left side of the road. Deeply concerned that another stray animal had become roadkill, he wandered over to the bushes and he realized that it was an unconscious form.

His eyes widening, Billy rushed over to the form and saw that it was an unconscious young man that looked to be about his age, had dark hair cropped just above his ears, and was wearing what looked like a martial arts outfit that was torn and stained with blood and mud.

The young man's face was pale, badly bruised, and covered in blood and mud. His feet were bare, covered in mud, and bleeding.

Large pieces of scorched metal were nearby, as if there had been a terrible car accident in the area, but Billy had no time or desire to investigate them. His priority was helping the injured out of this wet place.

"JASON!" Billy shouted as he knelt down to check to see if the young man was breathing. "JASON!"

Concerned by Billy's shouting, Jason hurried over to Billy and his eyes widened as he saw the stranger's poor physical condition, "Billy, stay here while I run into town and get some help," Jason ordered in an anxious voice, as he would be faster in getting help than Billy. "If he wakes up, keep him calm, okay?"

Billy nodded and Jason began to run back towards Angel Grove, "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but I hope you're okay," he whispered to the stranger. "Maybe I could use my power…"

Gritting his teeth, Billy took his morpher out of his pocket and placed it on the stranger's chest for a moment, wishing with all his heart that it would help the stranger survive.

Unfortunately for Billy, nothing happened and with a sigh, he removed his morpher from the stranger's chest and pocketed it.

"Hurry up, Jason," Billy whispered as he removed his jacket and gently placed it under the stranger's head. There was so little he could do for the stranger here, except make sure he stayed alive.

* * *

"Show offs," Trini muttered in an amused voice as she watched Zack and Tommy practice their karate moves on each other in the Youth Center's recreation area. "Kimberly, did our shakes come yet?"

Kimberly, who was over at the counter with Ernie, telling him about Jason and Billy jogging in the rain in an attempt to get into better shape, turned to Trini, "They're not quite ready," she replied, smiling at her best friend. "Ernie says that they're working on the machine and it should be working in an hour."

"Okay," Trini replied as she turned back to continue watching Zack and Tommy.

Kimberly sighed and was about to ask Ernie if there was anything else they could get when several police cars and an ambulance went speeding past the Youth Center with their lights flashing and sirens wailing.

"What's that all about?" Kimberly asked, gazing at Ernie. "Do you think that there was an accident?"

Ernie shrugged, "The rescue services don't often tour Angel Grove otherwise," he replied gently.

The doors suddenly burst open and Bulk and Skull came running into the Youth Center, quickly slipping and crashing into a pair of trash/recycle bins near the counter. Ernie sighed and fought to maintain his smile as Bulk and Skull quickly jumped to their feet; they also put the bins back upright.

"I heard that there was some sort of accident during that freak storm," Bulk said in a gruff voice as Ernie scurried back behind the counter to get them whatever they ordered. "I think it was out on Death Trail."

Kimberly frowned, "Jason and Billy were going jogging out there this morning," she replied in a concerned voice as she sat down on a stool to compose herself. "I hope nothing happened to them."

"I'm sure they're fine," Ernie stated in a confident tone. "Jason and Billy are smart and resourceful."

Although she knew that to be true, Kimberly couldn't help but worry. Instead of dwelling on what could have happened, however, she turned and joined Trini in watching Zack and Tommy fight in the ring.

* * *

"You're SURE the energy source is in this area?" Lord Zedd snapped as he appeared and saw that he was standing on a rocky hill overlooking a desolate looking canyon. Anger boiled inside of him.

There was a loud crack and Goldar appeared beside him, "Yes, our machines told us that something with a lot of energy in it crashed here last night," he replied in a nervous voice. "I know it HAS to be here."

Silently cursing out himself for coming on such a wild goose chase, Lord Zedd carefully made his way down the canyon. He could have jumped, but with such a situation, he knew caution was warranted.

For a few minutes, Lord Zedd could find nothing but shrubs and dirt, "You MORON!" he shouted, glaring up at the now-trembling Goldar. "You dragged me from the Dark Dimension to see a bunch of dirt?"

Goldar trembled, but said nothing. Lord Zedd growled and gripped his staff, ready to dole out punishment to his failure of a minion before returning to the Dark Dimension to create a new plot.

Suddenly, as he turned, Lord Zedd spotted what appeared to be a life-sized pod in a small patch of mud encrusted leaves several steps away. The pod was sparking and seemed as if it was going to explode.

Growling, Lord Zedd pointed his staff at the pod and used its magic to open it. He then approached the pod and gazed at the frail contents within. A small, amused chuckle suddenly escaped his metal mouth.

"We'll take this back to the Dark Dimension," Lord Zedd guffawed, glaring at Goldar. "This discovery will redeem the fact that you enabled Rita to come back from her dumpster prison. It will amuse her much."

Goldar couldn't help but grin, "It's pretty funny that pressing a simple button transported Rita from that dumpster in space to your Dark Dimension," he replied in an amused voice as Zedd zapped the pod out of sight. "What else could you do but let her pull you into a ceremony that would make you bound to her forever? That way, she could give you an heir to the evil throne."

Lord Zedd said nothing as he and Goldar teleported away; there would be time to address that later on.


	2. Safety In Memories

Through the viewing globe at the Command Center, Alpha had seen that the stranger had been found by the Rangers and turned over to civilian rescue authority for special care. Now, as the patched up stranger was wheeled into a hospital room tucked into a hospital bed, Alpha watched silently from afar.

The scene changed to Kimberly, Zack, and Trini in the Youth Center; all of them talking about the accident while sharing milkshakes. On the table in front of them were paper, markers, and various other craft supplies. 'Get Well Soon' was written on the paper, which had been folded into a nice card.

As the scene faded back to the hospital room, Alpha watched Jason and Billy enter the hospital room with a nurse and police officer at their heels. The stranger was still unconscious after two days.

"Alpha, are you ready?" the voice of Zordon boomed from nearby. "Tommy has the power in its place."

Alpha nodded and with his hand on the button, he turned to face Tommy and Zordon. Tommy had placed the Green Power coin in the center of the apparatus and with a sigh, Alpha pressed the button.

There was a loud humming sound and suddenly, the entire room was enveloped in a gold light that eventually covered the Command Center, Angel Grove, and the entire world as it was known.

"The world will come to accept this change and act as if it were part of history," Zordon said as the light faded and all that remained was the Green Power Coin. "Tommy, your power has done a great service."

Tommy nodded, "When will the other Rangers know of this?" he asked, assuming that they would know.

"The other Rangers will soon know the life form's identity as you do now, but they will not be made aware of the action we have taken here," Zordon replied calmly. "History has accommodated him."

Tommy silently removed the coin from the apparatus and held it in his palm, gazing at it as if expecting simple desire to reactivate the power he had lost. Alpha gently patted him on the shoulder and sighed.

"Your sacrifice will be rewarded, Tommy," Zordon stated. "For now, however, you must take an oath."

Realizing that the oath most likely had something to do with the life form, Tommy nodded, "I will," he said in a serious tone as he gazed up at Zordon, his lifeless Power Coin forgotten. "I will take an oath."

* * *

"…My instincts were correct, Zeddy," Rita hissed as she paced back and forth in front of the throne where Lord Zedd sat holding his staff to his knee. "The power source we found is not complete."

Lord Zedd hissed angrily, "Can you locate what will make the power source complete?" he snapped.

Ignoring her husband's temper, Rita swiftly moved over to the Dark Viewing Globe and caressed it carefully. Almost immediately, the scene of Jason and Billy hovering over the unconscious stranger at the Angel Grove Hospital appeared. Rita cackled as she watched the stranger in his unconsciousness.

"The Power Rangers have the other half of the power source," Rita finally replied. "Let's get it back."

Lord Zedd nodded, "Send Goldar to defeat the Rangers and get the power," he ordered in a gruff tone, pleased that Rita was taking an initiative without prodding. "With it, my plan will succeed."

"It will succeed, Zeddy," Rita cooed as she moved off to carry out her orders. "And we will rejoice."

* * *

_"…The latest scan was normal. There is no reason why he shouldn't already be awake."_

"…_Jason Lee Scott?"_

"_Yes, officer, I am Jason Lee Scott. What can I do for you?"_

"_If I could talk to you for a moment in the hallway; it's about the young man's identity…"_

His eyes felt very heavy, as if sandbags were keeping them closed. It was tiring to try and open them.

"Jason."

As his eyes opened, two blurry figures were in his line of vision. He blinked and his vision quickly corrected itself, revealing the figures to be two young men that looked extremely concerned.

"Who are you?" he heard himself ask in a groggy, barely audible voice. "Where am I?"

Before Jason or Billy could reply, a doctor rushed into the room, as did the police officer, "Young man, my name is Lieutenant Stone," the officer said in a gentle voice as he removed his hat. "You were hurt in a car accident near Angel Grove two days ago and you're in the hospital. Do you remember anything?"

"No," the stranger heard himself reply, knowing that he had no memory of anything that had happened.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed and Babboo appeared in the hospital room, followed immediately by Goldar, "You Rangers have something that belongs to us," Goldar snapped. "We want it back NOW."

Goldar quickly advanced towards the stranger, but was immediately shoved away by Jason while Billy stayed close to the stranger with his morpher prepared, but hidden. The stranger, meanwhile, was suddenly feeling overwhelmed and succumbing to the fear and exhaustion that beckoned to him.

It was as if time has stopped. Goldar and Jason spent several minutes in hand to hand combat, both of them barely missing the bed where the stranger lay. Desperate to keep the injured stranger from harm, Billy typed a message in on his communicator and hoped that Zordon would rescue them from trouble.

Fortunately, just as Jason was beginning to get tired, he, Billy, and the stranger were teleported away.

Goldar stood there for a moment, stunned about how he could have been outwitted by two untransformed Power Rangers and an injured civilian. Then, cursing himself, he teleported away.

* * *

Upon landing in the safety of the Command Center, Jason and Billy found that the stranger had disappeared and that Kimberly, Trini, Zack, and Tommy had also been summoned to the center.

"Rangers, the young man in the hospital is no doubt associated with a power source that arrived on Earth during a terrible storm two days ago," Zordon stated as he appeared before them. "During the attack by Goldar, the stranger managed to teleport you three here by the power of his own heart."

Kimberly looked stunned, "Is that how we got here as well, Zordon?" she asked. "By his power?"

"It is possible that the young man was sent to Earth to avoid some danger," Alpha interjected as he came out of one of the Command Center's many rooms. "You being teleported here from your various locations by the power of his heart could he his way of asking for help in dealing with his predicament."

Zack looked at Tommy, "The Green Ranger is dead, how can you be of help to us?" he asked, not meaning to be rude. However, Zack didn't understand how Tommy could be of any help to them.

"Zack, Tommy has already been a help in this situation," Zordon said in a grave tone. "As for the rest of you, it is important that the young man have friends and consider this place home now that he is here."

Zack nodded, feeling very chastened as he moved away from Tommy, "Jason and Billy, I now ask you to take an oath to help this young man as much as possible and to protect him from evil's grasp," Zordon said as Zack silently left the room. "If Rita and Zedd try to abduct him again, you both must be ready."

"What about Trini and I?" Kimberly asked, unnerved by Zack's comment. "Will we also make the oath?"

Zordon shook his head, "Not at this time," he replied. "You and Trini will serve better as his friends."

"Now it's time to send you back to where you came from," Alpha interjected. "Time will go on as usual."

Before any of the Rangers could utter another word, they were teleported out of the Command Center.

* * *

The lights flickered on and Jason opened his eyes to find that several carts and medical staff had been knocked over, but everything seemed relatively all right. He released the wall bar he had gripped to and looked at Lt. Stone, who looked very unnerved but unharmed. Items were scattered all over the floor.

"…As I was saying, Jason, I have news concerning the young man's identity," Lt. Stone said gravely.

Suddenly remembering the stranger and Billy, Jason's eyes widened and he rushed back into the hospital room. He saw that no harm had come to either of them or the nurse that had was there.

"Is everyone okay?" Jason asked as he walked back over to the bed. "What exactly happened?"

Billy nodded, but said nothing. The stranger opened his eyes and suddenly gave Jason a strange look.

"Jason?" the stranger asked in a tired voice. "Is it really you? I haven't seen you since we were little."

For a moment, Jason was silent and unaware that Lt. Stone had entered the room; then a look of recognition crossed his face as he recognized the stranger. "Malcolm? Is that really you?"

"Wait, you two know each other?" Lt. Stone asked, suddenly relieved at this sudden turn of events.

"Yes, I guess Jason and I do know each other," the stranger replied. "I'm Malcolm Lee Scott, his cousin."


	3. Jealousy and Sorrow

_**Malcolm's POV**_

_Panic rose inside of him. Why was Jason here and where were his own mother and father?_

_His parents and he had been traveling to Angel Grove from a martial arts match that had taken place in Stone Canyon. His last opponent had been Rocky DeSantos and he, Malcolm, had defeated Rocky in a clean match._

_Malcolm gasped; he couldn't remember getting out of the car between Stone Canyon and Angel Grove. What had happened?_

_He could see that the police officer was looking very concerned and looked as if he wanted to haul Jason and the kid with glasses out of the room. The nurse was also giving him a concerned look._

_It was then that he remembered the police officer…Lt. Stone…telling him that there had been a car accident and that he had been unconscious for two days. What had happened to his parents?_

_An uneasy feeling filled his heart as he suddenly felt the need to get up and run as far away as he could._

"Malcolm, take it easy," Jason said in an anxious voice as he watched Malcolm force himself into a sitting position and wince, obviously in pain from overexerting himself. "You should stay in bed."

Lt. Stone suddenly looked frightened and backed up into the doorway, "I need the bathroom," Malcolm said in as firm a tone as he could muster as he looked at Jason and suddenly winced. "I hurt…a lot."

"Young man, you have four broken ribs, tubes in your chest, a serious head injury, a broken ankle, and internal injuries that required surgery, and some third degree burns on your arms and legs," the nurse spoke up as she approached the bed. "It's no surprise that you're feeling sore when you're anywhere but in bed. Now, lie back down and try hard to relax. You're being well taken care of now."

Malcolm was silent for a moment and then silently lay back down, "Jason, will you go find my parents?" he asked as the nurse propped his casted ankle on a small pillow and covered him back up with the standard hospital blanket. It was then that he noticed the bandages on his arms and lines in his hands.

"Malcolm…" Jason began as he turned to look at Lt. Stone, who was suddenly looking very solemn.

Lt. Stone sighed, as delivering such news was never easy, "Angel Grove police have been searching the scene of the accident for two days and we found some incinerated remains of what appears to be some sort of vehicle," he stated as he set a few items on the portable table. "We also found these items."

Since the table was too far away for Malcolm to reach, Jason and Billy looked at the items; there were three wallets, a battered license plate, a small photo of a man, woman, and Malcolm standing outside of a large building next to a large sign that said 'Crystal Valley Martial Arts Center'.

The man and woman were dressed in casual clothes and Malcolm was wearing a martial arts outfit complete with matching headband; all of them were smiling with their arms around each other Besides the photo, there were a couple of gold rings, and a gold medal on a black ribbon.

"Your clothes are under the bed, dear," the nurse chirped in, trying to help him feel reassured; she could see he was looking very anxious.

"Those items were put in the car after the tournament," Malcolm said in a hushed, scared voice. "Where are my parents?"

Even though he could see that Malcolm was slowly turning a combined shade of puke green and chalk white, Lt. Stone sighed, "I'm very sorry to say that we also found the remains of two bodies," he said in a solemn voice. "The remains were examined and identified as Tyler and Karen Lee Scott. I'm so sorry."

Billy looked horrified and stared at the ground while Jason looked at Malcolm, "I'm so sorry, Malcolm," Jason said as he moved closer to the bed to try and console his cousin. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't know," Malcolm replied tonelessly as he gazed at the ceiling. "I don't know anything anymore."

Unbeknownst to anyone, the nurse had slipped out of the room to find a doctor and get some medication to help Malcolm rest. Jason looked at Billy and murmured 'go tell the others' in a quiet enough voice that nobody else would hear. Billy nodded and quietly moved over to the open door.

"Lieutenant Stone, could you do me a favor please?" Jason asked as he turned to face the officer.

Lt. Stone nodded, but said nothing, "My address is 545 Stone Way; could you please go pay a visit to my parents and tell them what happened to Malcolm and his parents?" Jason asked in a very worried, solemn voice. "I'm going to stay here and keep my cousin company…if that's allowed, that is."

"It's perfectly fine," Lt. Stone replied in a gentle voice. "Yes, I will go tell your parents what happened."

As Lt. Stone left the room, Jason looked at Malcolm and sighed, hoping things were going to be okay.

* * *

"Poor, defenseless orphan," Rita cooed as she watched Malcolm through her magical telescope. "It's probably better that we didn't capture him. He looks too weak and pathetic to be of any use to us."

The view suddenly switched to a spot in the park where Zack was alone and looking very angry; he was, in fact, very jealous about the fact that Tommy seemed to still have some sort of 'in' with Alpha, Zordon, and the other Rangers when he no longer had powers. Zack saw Tommy as a Ranger faded from glory.

Rita silently watched through the telescope as Zack took his morpher and Power Coin from his pocket, _"I don't even know why I am still a Ranger if Zordon still relies on Tommy for help," he said in an annoyed voice as he set the items on the ground and stared at them. "Is it really worth it to keep going like this?"_

"FINISTER!" Rita shouted, a plan suddenly forming in her mind. "COME HERE! I NEED YOU NOW!"

Finister hurried out of the darkness, "Yes, my queen?" he asked in a nervous voice. "You called?"

"I need a potion to turn the Black Ranger against Zordon, Alpha, and the other Power Rangers," Rita replied in a snappish voice. "I will capture him and you will turn him into a protector for my heir."

Nodding, Finister hurried off into the darkness. Rita turned back to the globe and pointed her scepter through it; she then sent a beam of energy towards Zack and cackled when it knocked him out.

Delighted that she and Zedd could now together control one of the Power Rangers and forget about their failure with the Green Ranger, Rita quickly teleported the unconscious Zack out of the park.

As Zack's unconscious form appeared on the floor in front of her, Rita took another look at the viewing globe, not caring that she was seeing several of the Rangers gathering to socialize. She had what she wanted now and she was going to use it to bring about the downfall of the Power Rangers for good.

* * *

"Billy!" Trini said in a happy voice as Billy entered the Youth Center and saw that Trini, Kimberly, and Tommy were seated at a table making funky get well cards. "We made some cards for Malcolm."

Billy nodded, but remained silent as he was still reeling from the news that Malcolm's parents had been killed in the same car crash that Malcolm had been injured in. Nobody should have to lose their parents.

"Billy, what's wrong?" Tommy asked, suddenly realizing that Billy looked very serious, almost solemn.

As Kimberly and Trini stopped working, Billy swallowed hard, "While Jason and I were visiting the hospital today, Malcolm woke up and asked where his parents were," he explained in a solemn voice, struggling not to cry. "There was a cop there that said that Malcolm's parents were killed in the crash."

For a moment, Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, and Trini were silent; each of them horrified at the news.

"That's awful," Tommy finally said, looking as if he had been hit over the head with a large hammer.

Kimberly sighed and gathered up the cards, "These won't help him any," she said in a solemn tone. "If we give him get well soon cards, it'll only make him feel worse. I'm not sure how to help Malcolm now."

"Jason's at the hospital with him now," Billy interjected. "Malcolm didn't want to be left alone."

Tommy sighed, "Maybe we should take the cards to him anyway," he said in a calm voice. "I think that we should just try and help Jason be there for Malcolm right now. We should talk to Jason and he can talk to Malcolm to see when visiting would be appropriate. Then, as a team, we can visit Malcolm."

"Speaking of being a team, where's Zack?" Trini asked, concerned that Zack might be in trouble.

Kimberly sighed, "Zack got so upset at the Command Center over Tommy being there," she said in a semi-concerned tone as she set the cards back on the table. "He's probably blowing off steam now."

"We'll leave Zack be and find him later," Billy said in a calm voice. "It's probably better that way."

There was again silence and Billy finally smiled, "Jason asked the police to find his parents so that they can also come be with Malcolm," he explained. "Apparently, Malcolm and Jason are long-lost cousins."

"Then let's give them the time they need to catch up," Tommy replied calmly, settling the matter.

Trini walked back over to the table where the cards were, "Since Rita or Zedd aren't giving us any trouble, why don't we finish the cards?" she suggested. "Maybe we can visit Malcolm tomorrow if Jason says it's okay. Maybe you and Billy should make some cards too, Tommy."

Tommy and Billy smiled; they were eager to help Malcolm feel better however they could. Tommy was always anxious to help others whenever he could and Billy was doing his best to stay true to the vow of protection.

For although nobody knew it then, chaos would soon again be unleashed.

* * *

Can I PLEASE have some reviews?


	4. Partial End of An Era

"_Hello ma'am, my name is Lt. Stone," Lt. Stone said in a professional tone as the door opened and Helen Lee Scott came out on to the porch dressed in a tan pantsuit and shoes. "I was sent by your son…"_

_Helen Lee Scott frowned, "Has something happened to Jason, officer?" she asked in a very worried tone as her normally gentle expression melted into one of concern. "He was visiting a friend at the hospital earlier and then he was going to visit with some of his other friends. Please, tell me, is he all right?"_

"_Your son is fine, ma'am," Lt. Stone replied in a softer tone. "I'm here about your nephew, Malcolm…"_

_Helen's eyes widened, "I haven't seen or heard from Malcolm or his parents for several years," she replied in a shocked voice. "His father, Tyler, is my husband's brother and they had a fight a long time ago over Tyler wanting to move for a better position in his company. What's happened to them, officer?"_

"_As you may know through the newspaper, there was a serious car accident just outside of Angel Grove two days ago, ma'am," Lt. Stone stated, trying to keep his composure. "According to the investigation Angel Grove Police are currently conducting, a car swerved off of the slippery road and crashed. The car and two of its occupants were incinerated, but one occupant and some possessions were ejected…"_

_Helen's eyes went narrow, "I don't understand what a car accident has to do with me," she replied._

"_Mrs. Lee Scott, the occupants were Tyler, Karen, and Malcolm Lee Scott," Lt. Stone stated in a solemn voice as he removed his hat. "Only Malcolm Lee Scott survived and is in stable condition at the hospital."_

_Helen's eyes widened again and she swallowed hard, "Take me there," she snapped. "Right now."_

"_Ma'am, your nephew is in a delicate emotional state right now…" Lt. Stone began to protest."_

_For the first time ever, anger appeared on Helen's face, "You'll be in a delicate physical state in the next few seconds if you don't take me to see my nephew and son," she snapped. "My husband is at work and I can always send Jason to come get him later on. I need to see what my nephew has grown to become."_

"…What a mush bowl," Rita scoffed as she turned away from her telescope and saw that Finister and Goldar had come out of the shadows. "I thought I had given you both important things to do?"

Finister nodded, "The potion is being prepared for the Black Ranger," he replied. "Goldar has news…"

"Lord Zedd's heir is prepared," Goldar cut in, excited that there was finally a new ally to evil prepared.

Rita grinned and marched through the darkness, not stopping until she got into the room where the power source had been stored since its arrival. A figure in black robes lay unconscious on a metal bed with the hood over its face. Rita moved closer to the bed, excited for the figure to wake up.

"Heir of Lord Zedd, arise from your slumber!" Rita shouted. "Your time of destiny is at hand!"

There was silence and then the robed figure sat up. He silently removed his hood, revealing a face that was identical to Malcolm's except for an evil red shade in his eyes. The teen gazed at Rita and Zedd.

"Oh, Zeddy, he's PERFECT!" Rita said as she moved a step closer. "Finally, a son to call our very own!"

Zedd grunted, "Just remember not to spoil him too much, Rita," he replied gruffly. "We have much to teach him that he might one day defeat Zordon, Alpha, and the Power Rangers for abandoning him."

"What is my name, Father?" the young man asked in a toneless voice. "I must have one."

Zedd thought for a moment, "Zedison, Son of Chaos," he replied. "Your simple name will be Mark."

"Zedison," the young man replied tonelessly as he rose from the bed. "It is an acceptable name."

Rita touched his shoulder affectionately with an evil grin on her face, "Your father and I will teach you every dreadful and despicable thing you'll need to know," she said in an evil tone. "In fact, to help you on your path to evil living, we are preparing a guide and bodyguard to help and protect you from good."

"Excellent," the young man, now known as Zedison, said as he gazed at the telescope with a wicked smile on his face. "Once I learn all that I need to, Zordon, Alpha, and the Power Rangers will SUFFER."

* * *

_"…You hate the Rangers because they do not see you as they see Tommy...as an equal..."_

Zack's eyes popped open and he realized that he was lying in a sealed pod of some sort with water underneath him. He tried to move his arms and legs, but they were bound and immobilized.

_"…Zordon prefers Tommy with the Rangers over you…He has taken your Black Ranger Powers from you because you are not worthy of them…"_

Shock and horror filled Zack's heart as the image of Zordon and Alpha appeared before his eyes and they seemed to be talking to the other Rangers, all of whom were in their uniforms and holding hands.

_"…I am cutting Zack off the Power Grid and making Tommy the new Black Ranger since his Green Ranger powers are no longer functioning," Zordon said in a deep voice. "Tommy has a value to the Power Rangers that Zack does not seem to have any longer. Therefore, it is time to release Zack to the world."_

As the vision faded, Zack shuddered violently; was it possible that Zordon was replacing him now?

_"…Sleep…let the transformation complete you into who you were meant to become…"_

Zack tried to fight the sudden fatigue that rose up in him, but eventually, he fell into blackness.

* * *

"…Jason?"

From his chair beside Malcolm's hospital bed, Jason looked up and saw his mother lingering in the doorway holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a small bag of things in the other. He then saw Lt. Stone come into the room with a small, see-through bag of old clothes in his hands.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Jason asked as he rose from the bed and walked over to his mother so not to wake Malcolm from the much needed sleep he was having. "Why is Lt. Stone with you?"

Helen gave Jason a sad smile, "Lt. Stone came to the house and told me what happened," she replied as she walked closer to the bed and set the flowers on the end table. "I decided that Malcolm could use a few things so I asked Lt. Stone to help me bring them here. A few of your old clothes, some books…"

"A nurse gave Malcolm some medicine to help him rest a while ago," Jason replied softly, remembering that after the two of them had been alone, Malcolm had begun crying and puking so much that he had begged for something to help him sleep. "I don't know how soon he'll wake up and feel like talking."

Nodding, Helen set the bag on the portable table and moved closer to the bed, "Jason, did your father ever show you pictures of your Uncle Tyler?" she asked softly as she watched Malcolm sleep.

"No, I don't think he's ever even talked about Uncle Tyler, Aunt Karen, or Malcolm in front of me," Jason replied as he moved closer to his mother. "I saw a photo of them once, but Dad took it away from me."

Helen sighed and gently brushed a loose strand of hair off Malcolm's bandaged forehead, "Malcolm looks so much like your Uncle Tyler," she said. "He'll need someone else to take care of him now."

"Well, we could do it, Mom," Jason replied softly. "I'm sure Dad would let Malcolm live with us."

Before Helen could reply, however, Malcolm let out a quiet moan and slowly opened his eyes. He looked relieved to see Jason there, but also looked very confused as to why Helen was there, fussing over him.

"Malcolm, you may not remember me," Helen said in a gentle voice. "I'm your Aunt Helen, sweetie."

Malcolm nodded and winced as he sighed, "My mother told me about you and Uncle Thomas," he replied in a tired voice. "She mentioned that my dad and Uncle Thomas had a fight years ago because my dad wanted to open a dojo in Crystal Valley and not in Angel Grove. It split them apart for years."

It was then that Helen noticed the items already on the portable tray, including the photo, "Your father's dojo?" she asked as she picked up the photo and showed it to Malcolm. "Did you help him run it?"

"I trained under him since we moved there," Malcolm replied softly. "My last match was two days ago in Stone Canyon and after that, my dad said we were going to come to Angel Grove to try and visit you—"

Tears suddenly came to Malcolm's eyes, "This isn't the way I expected to reunite with my family," he said, deeply embarrassed to be crying in front of his relatives. It was then that he noticed the clothes and couldn't help but wince. "Did you bring me some things so that I'd be okay in a shelter after they let me out of the hospital? I don't think Uncle Thomas will want me around…I'm too much like my dad."

"Oh, Malcolm, no," Helen replied in a comforting tone. "I talked to your doctor on my way in and he said that you'd be here for several more days. The clothes are just in case you get tired of wearing a hospital gown and the other things are for personal hygiene and some books you can read when you're awake."

Lt. Stone suddenly cleared his throat, "Mrs. Lee Scott, may I talk to you in private for a moment?" he asked, intending to arrange guardianship for Malcolm while he was still convalescing in the hospital.

Helen nodded and smiled at her son as she left the room with Lt. Stone, "I don't care what my dad says," Jason said as he smiled at Malcolm. "Even if he doesn't like you, you and I are still family, okay?"

"I don't want to create any more rifts in your family," Malcolm replied as he placed his hand, which was shaking from cold, over the bandages that were under his gown. "I already lost my parents and I don't want you to lose yours to try and be my friend. Maybe I'm just better off being left on my own."

Jason frowned and gently took Malcolm's hand in his own, "Malcolm, we're family," Jason said in a firm, yet gentle tone as he tucked Malcolm's hand under the blanket. "Family looks out for one another."

* * *

"It seems that Jason is keeping his vow," Alpha reported as he watched Jason help Malcolm through the viewing globe. "Zordon, have you managed to locate the Black Ranger yet? He must be in trouble."

Zordon sighed, "The Pink, Yellow, and Blue Ranger are out searching," he replied. "Hopefully…"

Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the Black Ranger's Power Coin and Morpher materialized on one of the data ports. As Alpha approached them, both items quickly caught on fire and melted into nothing.

"…The Powers of the Black Ranger have been captured by Rita and Zedd," Zordon's voice boomed throughout the Command Center. "To preserve the other Rangers' powers, we must act immediately."

Alpha trembled as he ran over to another console, "Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!" he shouted, realizing that in order to save the other Rangers from destruction, the Black Ranger power had to be cut off from the Power Grid.

"Retrieve the Rangers from their search," Zordon said in a grave tone. "We need their help in this."

Alpha nodded and pressed a button on the console. Almost immediately, Trini, Kimberly, and Billy appeared in the Command Center, all of them still dressed in their Power Ranger uniforms.

"Even though the Green Ranger's powers are gone, send a message to Tommy about the situation," Zordon spoke as he gazed at the three Rangers. "Rangers, Rita and Zedd have taken Zack under their control and have also taken control of the Black Ranger Powers. We must now cut them from the grid."

Kimberly, Billy, and Trini looked horrified at the news, "We can't abandon Zack!" Trini cried in an anxious voice as she removed her helmet. "He's our friend and we just can't! Isn't there another way, Zordon?"

"If we do not cut off the Black Ranger from the Power Grid, the rest of you will eventually lose your powers to Zedd and Rita's control," Zordon replied. "We need Power Rangers to protect the Earth."

Kimberly nodded, a frown on her face, "Does this mean the Green Ranger will be able to be restored to fight alongside us?" she asked in a confused tone. "Shouldn't Jason be here to help us with this?"

"Jason is taking care of another matter," Zordon replied. "And no, the Green Ranger is gone forever. Tommy cannot reclaim those powers."

Alpha sighed and activated a console, "Once I press this button, the Black Ranger powers will be cut off from the Power Grid," he said in a solemn voice. "There is nothing we can do but this to preserve the other powers. I am very, very sorry."

Silence reigned and Billy, Kimberly, and Trini watched with dismay as Alpha pressed the button and cut the Black Ranger and Zack's hold on the powers from the Power Grid. It was the partial end of an era.

All that remained to protect the world was four...four Power Rangers.


	5. Hidden Power and A Plan

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Malcolm asked as he gazed at his Uncle Thomas. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to. Jason and Aunt Helen mentioned that you and my dad had a fight…"

Thomas Lee Scott sighed and took a seat beside the hospital bed where his nephew lay, now dressed in a tan pair of shorts and a red button-up shirt that Jason used to wear. Malcolm's arms were still bandaged and his ankle was still in a cast, so he could do little but lie in bed without assistance.

Fortunately, Malcolm wasn't going to have to rely on himself. Jason and Helen had both talked to Thomas and had convinced him to take in Malcolm. After talking about it with Malcolm and Jason, Thomas and Helen had applied for and secured guardianship of Malcolm until he was 18 years old.

Now, after a week of convalescing in the hospital while getting to know the only family he had left to him, Malcolm was finally being released to their care. While he waited for Jason to come with the vehicle he would be taken to his new home in, Malcolm found himself being granted some much needed company by his Uncle Thomas. Helen had not come this time, as she had to run errands.

"I made a mistake not forgiving my brother for leaving Angel Grove years ago," Thomas replied in a soft voice as he gave Malcolm a reassuring smile. "Jason is right about one thing; we are family, Malcolm."

Before Malcolm could reply, Jason came into the room pushing an empty wheelchair, "Are you ready to finally get out of here, Malcolm?" he asked in a gentle tone. "Dad, did you two have a good little chat?"

"Yes, Jason, we did," Thomas replied as he stood up and took Malcom's hands. "Let me help you up."

Malcolm nodded and allowed his uncle to help him stand and hobble slowly over to the wheelchair, grateful when he was helped to sit down in it. He sighed and placed a hand over his abdomen.

"I know you're sore, but we need to make a stop on the way home," Jason said as he gently lifted Malcolm's ankle on to a footrest. "I have to pick up something that I left at the Youth Center."

Noticing that Malcolm was running low on energy to talk, Thomas smiled and took the bag containing Malcolm's possession off the portable table. "Maybe while we're there, we can have a little lunch," he said in a gentle voice. "Jason, be careful when you're wheeling Malcolm out to the car, okay?"

Jason nodded and carefully wheeled Malcolm from the hospital room as Thomas followed after the pair with Malcolm's bag; he was pleased that Jason and Malcolm were getting along so well.

* * *

"How DISGUSTING!" Rita shouted as she stepped away from her telescope and turned to face Zedd, Goldar, and a being who was wearing a gray, ninja-like uniform. "Family unity is so disgusting."

As Rita turned back to the telescope, the scene changed to the Youth Center. Rita watched as Helen Lee Scott helped Kimberly and Trini set up a table and place paper plates, plastic cups, and napkins on it.

"Mother, I wish to join the Black Knight in his attack," Zedison's toneless voice suddenly spoke out.

Her eyes widening, Rita whirled around just in time to see Zedison stride out of the darkness dressed in a silver, ninja-like outfit with a large sword in his right hand. Zedd chuckled at Zedison's gumption.

"Do you distrust the Black Knight, Son of Chaos?" Rita asked, unsure as to what Zedison was doing.

Zedison nodded and brandished his sword, "I cannot trust him to fight off the Power Rangers alone," he replied in an evil voice. "He will succumb to the human trait of mercy and compassion if left alone."

"Perhaps you are right," Zedd replied, pleased that Zedison was eager to prove himself as a warrior.

Rita looked at Zedd, who gave a nod, "Very well," she replied, gazing back at Zedison. "You may go."

* * *

Unaware of Rita's plot to disrupt the party, Billy helped Tommy to hang a banner on the wall that said 'Welcome to Angel Grove, Malcolm!' in big black letters. Helen chuckled as she began setting out bowls of provided potato chips, dip, and homemade cookies and saw the beautiful homemade banner.

While everyone was busy setting up, Ernie was in the back making a special cake for Malcolm; he wanted to help the young teen feel welcome in Angel Grove despite the accident that orphaned him.

"Malcolm will appreciate what you all are doing to make him feel welcome here," Helen said in an amused voice as she turned to Kimberly and Trini. "Are you sure it's only going to be a few people?"

Kimberly nodded, "Jason told us that Malcolm's not up to any big crowds right now," she replied in a concerned voice. "Do you think Malcolm will be ready to start school again by the start of term?"

"I don't really know, Kimberly," Helen replied gently. "We'll have to see how he's feeling by then."

Before Kimberly could reply, Thomas entered the room with a smile on his face, "Jason's helping Malcolm out of the car," he said in an eager voice. "Everyone should hide right away."

Laughter echoed throughout the building as Trini, Billy, Kimberly, and Tommy scrambled to find places to hide. Knowing that this was time for Malcolm to socialize, Helen and Thomas quietly went outside.

* * *

"This sunshine is disgusting," Zedison snapped, glaring up at the bright sunlight as he and the Black Knight materialized across the street from the Youth Center. "I wish we could get rid of it."

The Black Knight, however, was distracted by the sight of Jason helping Malcolm out of a car and into an empty wheelchair that was on the sidewalk. Zedison quickly noticed that he was being ignored and turned his attention to watching Jason carefully wheel Malcolm towards the Youth Center.

"Excellent, we can defeat the Red Ranger and a helpless civilian," the Black Knight cooed; he began forward only to be stopped by Zedison placing a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Stop that!"

Zedison growled, "My mother's plan is to attack the party in the Youth Center," he replied in a grouchy voice as he moved forward. "We are to wreck their party and steal the rest of their Power Coins."

"We shall succeed, my Master," The Black Knight replied gravely. "We shall destroy the Rangers."

Letting out a low cackle, Zedison walked in-step with the Black Knight towards the Youth Center.

* * *

Silence greeted Jason as he wheeled Malcolm into the Youth Center, "This is the Angel Grove Youth Center," Jason said in a gentle voice as Malcolm silently took everything in. "It's kind of quiet today."

"There wasn't anything like this in Crystal Valley," Malcolm replied in a soft voice as he suddenly noticed the banner that Tommy and Billy had hung on the wall. "Jason, who did you tell that I would be here?"

Jason frowned, seeing the anxious expression on Malcolm's face, "Guys, you'd better come out," he said in a concerned expression. "I didn't mean to make you nervous, Malcolm. The party was my idea."

"Don't feel bad about it, Jason," Malcolm replied softly as Billy, Kimberly, Trini, Tommy, and Helen came out of their hiding spots. "I'll try my best to be social even though I may not look very attractive."

Jason gave Malcolm a reassuring smile as Kimberly approached the wheelchair, "Hi Malcolm, I'm Kimberly Hart," she said in a warm tone as she extended her hand. "Welcome to Angel Grove."

"Hi," Malcolm replied in a soft voice, wincing as he lifted his hand to return Kimberly's handshake.

Jason could see that Malcolm was embarrassed about his shaking hands, so he put a gentle, yet protective hand on his cousin's shoulder as Trini and Billy approached, "I'm Billy Cranston," Billy said as he gave Malcolm a smile and gestured to Trini. "Trini Kwan and I want to welcome you here."

"Thanks," Malcolm replied as he clasped his hands together to stop them from trembling.

As if he could sense Malcolm's nervousness, Tommy slowly approached the wheelchair and knelt down so he was level with Malcolm, "My name's Tommy Oliver," Tommy said in a calm voice, giving both Malcolm and Jason a reassuring smile. "How are you feeling and how do you like Angel Grove so far?"

Jason let out a quiet sigh of relief, as he had warned his friends about asking Malcolm about his parents, the car accident, or about personal issues, "I'm a bit hungry and sore," Malcolm replied in a polite tone as he struggled to keep his composure. "I really haven't seen a whole lot of Angel Grove yet, though."

"Is somebody having a party?" the annoyed voice of Bulk suddenly filtered into the Youth Center.

Kimberly sighed, "Oh no, here comes Bulk and Skull," she said, giving Jason and Malcolm a worried look.

"Malcolm, let's go sit at a table," Jason said in a hushed voice, worried that Bulk and Skull might try and bully Malcolm because of his current physical disadvantages. "Maybe you'd like to have some lunch?"

Malcolm nodded and as Jason began to wheel him towards a table, Bulk and Skull came strutting into the room dressed in their usual punk garb. A rolled up copy of the newspaper was in Bulk's hand.

"We heard that there was gonna be a party today for that new kid," Bulk hooted, suddenly spotting Malcolm in his wheelchair. "Ooh, there's the celebrity now! Hey mister celebrity, sign my newspaper?"

Malcolm was silent as Jason wheeled him to a table and set the chair's brake, "Leave him alone," Jason said in an angry voice as he stepped in front of his cousin to protect him from Bulk and Skull.

Ernie suddenly came out of the back with a cake in his hands that had 'Welcome to Angel Grove, Malcolm Lee Scott' written on it in red icing. His smile changed to a frown when he saw Bulk and Skull.

"The Youth Center's closed for about an hour or two for a private party, Bulk and Skull," Ernie stated as he set the cake on the food table. "If you're not invited to the party, I suggest you leave right away."

Skull made a face and Bulk hooted, "We're not leaving until the celebrity signs my newspaper," Skull replied in an amused voice as he waved the paper at Malcolm. "Surviving a car accident on Death Trail is definitely a reason to get your name in the newspaper. Why not just let your fame ride itself out?"

"My parents were killed in that car accident if you actually read the article," Malcolm replied in a toneless, solemn voice as he looked at the floor. "Jason, I'm gonna wheel myself outside for a bit."

Jason frowned, "Bulk and Skull were just leaving," he said in a stern voice as he balled up his fists.

Shaking his head, Malcolm released the wheelchair brake and slowly began to wheel himself over to the stairs that led to the exit. Realizing that there was no ramp, he sighed and stared at the floor.

"Hah hah!" Skull crowed. "The wheelchair can't make it up the stairs! What are you gonna do?"

Suddenly, the ground began to shake sending everyone, including Malcolm, crashing to the floor.

"Malcolm!" Jason shouted, horrified to see that Malcolm was lying on his stomach. "Are you okay?"

Before Malcolm, who was in extreme pain from the fall, could reply, the Black Knight and Zedison appeared in the middle of the room. Ernie whimpered and quickly retreated into the kitchen. Bulk and Skull quickly fainted due to their extreme fear of earthquakes and unnatural happenings in the city.

"Ah, a helpless civilian," Zedison cooed as he towered over Malcolm and kicked him hard in the foot.

Malcolm hissed in pain and quickly threw up. Jason sighed and glared at their new enemies.

"It's Morphin Time!" Jason shouted, pulling out his Morpher as Malcolm suddenly passed out.

Fully expecting this, Zedison and the Black Knight watched silently as the four Power Rangers morphed into their combat suits and assumed a battle stance. Since he couldn't morph, Tommy quickly darted around the new enemies to check on Malcolm and barely missed being hit by the Black Knight's sword.

"Leave him," Zedison ordered in angry tone as he stepped forward to face the Rangers. "Focus."

The Black Knight nodded and turned his back on Malcolm and Tommy, "You will die and be destroyed just as the Black Ranger was," Zedison said in a menacing voice as he brandished his sword at Jason.

Before Jason could reply, he, the other three Rangers, Zedison, and the Black Knight were transported from the Youth Center. Only Tommy remained, kneeling beside an unconscious and trembling Malcolm.

"Hang in there, Malcolm," Tommy said softly as he removed his jacket and placed it over Malcolm's body.

* * *

The terrified screams of his parents greeted the Jason's ears as he materialized on top of a rocky surface. Even though he wanted to comfort them, Jason knew he had to conceal his identity.

As Kimberly, Billy, and Trini materialized, they saw Goldar standing at the far end of the surface next to an electric cage that held a terrified Thomas and Helen, "Your Power Coins, please," Goldar said in a commanding tone as he whirled the cage around. "Give them all to me or these civilians will suffer too."

* * *

Back at the Youth Center, Tommy had yelled for Ernie to call 9-1-1 and while Ernie was waiting for an ambulance, Tommy had made sure that Malcolm was comfortable even though he was unconscious.

"…Don't do it," Malcolm suddenly mumbled even though he remained unconscious. "Don't..."

Tommy frowned and watched as Malcolm's face screwed up in pain, "There is another way," Malcolm said softly, remaining unconscious. "Sacrificing peacekeepers is not the answer to this problem…"

"Malcolm?" Tommy asked, wondering what Malcolm was talking about. "Are you all right?"

Malcolm's body suddenly jerked and he gritted his teeth, "I will save you," he whispered as his body suddenly tensed up and went into a semi-convulsion. "By the power of good, I rescue you now."

The shaking suddenly stopped and Malcolm's body relaxed, "It is done," he whispered as he passed out.

* * *

To the shock of the Rangers, the electric cage, Helen, and Thomas suddenly vanished, as did Goldar.

"What happened?" Jason asked in an anxious voice. "Where did Goldar take my parents?"

Silence was the only reply the Rangers received, but before they could comment, they were suddenly teleported off the rocky surface and were shocked when they materialized in the Command Center.

"How did we get here?" Trini asked as she removed her helmet and looked at Zordon and Alpha.

Zordon sighed, "It is apparent that another power is at work here that neither we nor Rita's forces know anything about," he replied. "The power has sent Goldar back to the Dark Dimension and the two enemies that you encountered at the Youth Center. Your parents are safe and have no memory of—"

"Malcolm!" Jason exclaimed, suddenly realizing that Malcolm had been hurt by the two ninja-like figures back at the Youth Center. "Zordon, my cousin was hurt by these two ninja-like figures who appeared at the Youth Center; the ones who kidnapped my parents and sent them to Goldar. Is he all right?"

Zordon was silent for a moment, "Look into the viewing globe," he replied in a strong voice.

Jason, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy quickly gathered around the globe. An image of Zedison and the Black Knight lingering outside the Youth Center appeared; they quickly teleported into the sky, however.

"Those are the guys who attacked Malcolm!" Kimberly shouted. "Zordon, are they working for Rita?"

Alpha nodded, "Yes, but we don't know a lot about them yet," he replied. "Zordon and I will use what information we have in the viewing globe to try and gather more information."

"In the meantime, Jason; your cousin is safe," Zordon replied. "Look at the scene before you."

Jason looked back into the globe and saw that paramedics were at the Youth Center. One paramedic was checking Malcolm's vital signs while the other was talking to Tommy and Jason's parents. Bulk and Skull were near the back of the room, being given a harsh talking to by an angry looking Ernie.

"We should get back there," Jason said as he demorphed. "We can't tell Malcolm what happened."

Knowing that Jason was right, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy quickly demorphed into their civilian attire.

As the four teleported away, Alpha began to input the information from the battle into the computer.

* * *

"Jason?" Malcolm asked as he opened his eyes and saw Jason, Kimberly, Tommy, Trini, and Billy hovering over him with worried looks on their faces. "Why do I feel like I've just been run over?"

Jason smiled and knelt down next to his cousin, "Some punks broke into the Youth Center dressed as ninjas and tried to cause trouble," he lied in a gentle voice. "They knocked you out of your chair."

Malcolm sighed and wincing, he forced himself into a sitting position only to see the paramedics come into the Youth Center with a gurney, "Jason, I don't need to go back to the hospital," he said in a tired, slightly groggy voice as he took slow, deep breaths. "I just want to go to your house and rest."

"You seem okay, but have your family keep an eye on you," one of the paramedics replied as he overheard Malcolm's words. "If you have any further problems, go to the hospital immediately."

As the paramedics left with their gurney and supplies, Jason and Tommy helped Malcolm back into the wheelchair and placed his ankle on a foot rest. A moment later, Helen and Thomas came into the room with a concerned looking Ernie at their heels. Malcolm forced himself to smile so that they would relax.

"Thank you for making Malcolm feel welcome," Jason said to his friends. "Dad, can we go home now?"

Knowing that Malcolm needed to rest after those punks roughed him up, Thomas nodded and carefully wheeled Malcolm out of a lower exit with Helen at his heels. Jason smiled at Tommy before leaving.

* * *

"That civilian's no ordinary shmuck!" Rita shouted as she stepped away from her telescope and turned to face Zedd, Zedison, the Black Knight, Golder, and Finster. "He did something to stop the battle!"

Zedison quickly assumed battle stance, "Shall I capture the civilian for study, Mother?" he asked.

"Never mind him!" Zedd shouted, annoyed by this setback. "We need to focus on the Power Rangers!"

Rita grimaced and suddenly grinned, "I have a plan," she said in an amused voice. "I have a special plan for that injured civilian."

No one spoke, so Rita continued, "If this civilian has special powers, we'll just have to offer him the opportunity to use them," said in an evil tone. "He doesn't know it yet, but Malcolm will soon be offered the choice to develop his power under the guidance of evil."

Even though they were unsure how Rita would pull such a plan off, the other villains joined her in a hearty villainous cackle.

* * *

How do you all like my story? Please let me know, okay?


	6. First Phase of A Test

The end of August came quickly and with it, the first day of school at Angel Grove High.

Jason found shifting back into school life was simple, as he did most of the same things during the summer that he did during the school year. He would only have to make time for academics.

For Malcolm, however, school would be quite different for him; he had attended a much smaller school in Crystal Valley and had spent time at his father's dojo after school each day.

Now that he was in Angel Grove, he knew that he would have to find things to do with whatever spare time he might have.

Physically, Malcolm knew that he was doing better and would continue to do better now that his ankle was in a walking cast and his body was healing. Emotionally, however, he knew he had a ways to go.

Jason's parents had made him rest for the last two weeks so that he would be physically able to handle school so long as Jason stayed close.

There had been no further trouble from Rita or Zedd, so Jason had balanced his time between teaching his martial arts classes and helping Malcolm adjust to his new life.

"Malcolm Lee Scott?"

Suddenly realizing that he wasn't alone, Malcolm looked up from the floor to find a tall, lean middle-aged man with dark spiky hair dressed in khakis, sandals, and a blue polo shirt, "Yes sir?" he asked.

"You don't have to call me sir," the man replied, a chuckle in his voice. "I am Doctor Frank Oliver and I've been the counselor at Angel Grove High for several years now. Would you like to come into my office?"

Letting out a sigh, Malcolm nodded and, slowly getting to his feet, he followed Dr. Oliver into the counseling office that wasn't far from the chair where he had been sitting.

The office was small, but was decorated with a desk, chair, and computer in one corner and a couch in the other, next to a bookshelf.

"First of all, whatever is said in this office stays between you and me, okay?" Frank said in a hushed voice, immediately noticing Malcolm's nervousness. "I won't go blabbing what you tell me."

Even though Jason had given him advice to relax during the counseling session, Malcolm swallowed hard and gazed at the floor.

"Why don't you have a seat and give that ankle of yours a rest, Malcolm?" Frank suggested in a gentle voice as he closed the door to give them privacy. "You're showing a lot of courage by being here."

Confused as to what that meant, Malcolm eased himself on to the couch, "I don't understand," he replied in a tired voice as he watched Frank take a seat behind the desk. "How am I courageous?"

"I did read the article that talked about the accident your family was in," Frank replied in a gentle voice as he opened a notebook and jotted a few notes. "It's only been a few weeks since the accident and you're here in school when you could be at home in bed and grieving over what you lost."

Malcolm sighed, "I live with my cousin, Jason, and his family," he replied. "This was Jason's idea."

"Jason didn't throw you over his shoulder and drag you here, though," Frank replied in a slightly inquisitive tone as he made another note. "He made a suggestion and you acted upon it."

There was a tense silence before Malcolm nodded, "I don't know how to feel," he admitted softly.

"That's actually pretty normal, Malcolm," Frank replied gently. "You're still in shock about it, right?"

Malcolm nodded, but said nothing, "Have you thought about what you're going to do to help yourself heal from this experience?" Frank asked in a curious voice. "Are there any activities that interest you?"

"Both Jason and my aunt suggested that I come here to talk to someone," Malcolm replied, remembering a conversation from the other day. "Won't talking to someone help me get better?"

Frank sighed and made a few more notes, "It will only up to a certain point," he replied gently. "I know you can't do anything extremely physical right now, but perhaps something involving creative arts?"

"I used to do a lot of drawing during my breaks at my father's dojo," Malcolm replied softly, remembering the many sketches he used to create. "Would they let me sketch anything here?"

Before Frank could reply, the bell suddenly rang, "Attention students, please gather in the gymnasium for registration and photos according to your surname and grade," a voice said over the intercom.

"Would you like to talk again tomorrow or the next day?" Frank asked, watching as Malcolm slowly got to his feet. "I know you have to go, but I think you might benefit from talking to me at least three times a week before or after school. Meanwhile, maybe you should take up drawing as a sort of therapy?"

Malcolm gave a nod, "Jason taught me some breathing techniques over the summer to use if I ever feel too anxious or stressed," he replied. "Maybe I can try them while drawing. Thanks for listening to me."

"Anytime you want to talk, Malcolm, just come to my office," Frank replied gently. "Take care now."

Frank opened the door and Malcolm swallowed hard before slowly limping from the office in silence.

* * *

"Skull, SKULL!" Bulk hissed from his locker as he saw Malcolm limping down the hallway from the offices towards the gymnasium. "There's that new kid we saw a few weeks ago. Looks like he's walking now."

Skull pulled out from his open locker with a mischievous grin on his face, "Maybe he's up to testing his skills against the mighty Bulk and Skull," he hissed eagerly. "Bulk, go give him a welcome to school."

Bulk nodded and made his way over to Malcolm, blocking his way, "So, now that you're out of the chair, ninja boy, do you wanna show me what you're made of?" Bulk hissed as he backed Malcolm into a wall.

"Bulk, let me help you welcome the new kid!" Skull shouted in an eager voice as he ran over to where Bulk and Malcolm were; he was unaware that Jason, Tommy, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy had entered the school to get their first day over with. Jason was carrying Malcolm's bag with his own and immediately spotted Bulk and Skull pinning Malcolm against a wall so tightly that Malcolm couldn't move at all.

Anger boiled up inside of Jason as he walked over to Bulk and Skull, "What did I tell you guys about bothering my cousin?" he asked in a menacing voice as he shunted Bulk and Skull away from Malcolm.

"He can walk now, so he can take care of himself," Bulk scoffed. "Quit trying to protect him."

Just as Jason was getting ready to shove Bulk out of the way, Mr. Caplan came out of the office and spotted Bulk and Skull pinning Malcolm to the wall while Jason, Trini, Kimberly, Billy and Tommy were lingering nearby. A quick glare from him was all Bulk and Skull needed to back away from Malcolm.

"You students should be in the gym with everyone else," Mr. Caplan said in a gruff tone as he suddenly recognized Malcolm from when he was registered by Helen Lee Scott days earlier. "You, Malcolm, should join the other new students at the table near the bleachers to get a locker and packet."

Jason quickly put a protective arm around Malcolm, "I'll help my cousin, sir," he replied as he led Malcolm away from the group. "He's just a little nervous about his first day at a new school."

"See that you do," Mr. Caplan replied, turning to the others as Jason quickly led Malcolm into the crowded gymnasium. "While the other four of you are in the gym, I think I'd like to talk to Bulk and Skull in my office. Shall we go chat in my office before you get your pictures done, Bulk and Skull?"

Realizing that they were going to most likely get detention, Bulk and Skull groaned as they followed Mr. Caplan down the hall towards the offices. Kimberly, Billy, Trini, and Tommy all shared a small chuckle.

"We'd better get in there," Billy said, not at all eager to join Bulk and Skull in detention that day.

* * *

As Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, and Trini entered the gym, they could see students scattered at various tables or lined up near a photography canvas waiting to have their school picture taken.

Even though the gym was crowded, Tommy quickly spotted Jason and Malcolm lingering at a table near the bleachers with two other boys and a girl. One of the boys suddenly turned to Malcolm with a competitively anxious expression on his face. Malcolm's face suddenly dropped and he didn't hear the teacher at the table calling his name.

"Rocky DeSantos?" Tommy heard Malcolm asked in a shocked voice. "I thought you went to Stone Canyon High School? What are you doing all the way in Angel Grove?"

Rocky smiled, "My family just moved here like last week," he replied. "What are you doing here?"

Before Malcolm could reply, Rocky chuckled, "Oh, I bet you came to see if the students in Angel Grove could fight any better than the students in your dad's dojo," he said in an amused voice. "Speaking of fighting, do you feel like having a rematch of our last fight after school? I need some of my glory back."

"I got in a bad accident a couple of weeks ago and can't fight right now," Malcolm replied as he gestured to his walking cast. "Maybe next semester, we can do a little bit of practicing at the Youth Center."

Rocky hooted, "What, did you crash your dad's car?" he asked in an amused voice. "Did he ground you?"

"Stop it," Jason said in an irritated voice as he saw Malcolm's nervous expression fade to nothing.

The teacher at the desk sighed and handed Malcolm a small binder, "There's your locker assignment, your class schedule, and orientation notes," she said in a cheery voice. "Welcome to our school."

"I'm going to go stash my stuff in my locker and come back for a picture later," Malcolm said in a toneless voice as he took his bag from Jason and turned away. "See you guys after school."

Jason nodded and glanced at Tommy as Malcolm walked out of the gym, "We should invite him to watch my class after school," Jason said in a low voice. "It might boost his confidence a little bit."

"You teach some sort of class?" Rocky asked in an eager tone. "What kind of a class? Baking?"

Jason scoffed, "Martial arts for beginners," he replied stiffly. "You wouldn't be interested in it."

"I always like to practice my amazing skills," Rocky replied in a cocky voice. "Where is it at?"

Kimberly and Trini looked nervous, "Jason, don't tell him," Kimberly whispered. "It's a bad idea."

"The Youth Center," Jason replied boldly, wondering how skilled Rocky was at martial arts.

Rocky nodded and turned back to the table, "Since Malcolm can't fight, maybe I'll challenge you after school instead," he muttered as he focused his attention on the teacher. "Until then, see ya."

"You can't fight Rocky after school," Tommy said as they walked over to the photo line. "What about the class you have to teach? I can't cover for you today because I'm meeting with my uncle after school."

Jason sighed as they joined the line, "It'll work itself out," he replied gruffly. "Don't worry about it."

* * *

The first day of school ended quickly and without fuss, which was what Helen and Thomas were relieved to see as they entered Angel Grove High School. They spotted Kimberly and Trini lingering near the gym.

"…When Mr. Caplan called me to his office, I was really scared that I had done something wrong," Trini was telling Kimberly. "It turns out that he just wanted to encourage me to apply to go to the World Peace Conference in Switzerland. He also said that Zack is doing night study when I asked about him…"

Relieved that Zack was okay and had just decided to pursue other education, Kimberly smiled; she was relieved not to have to worry about him anymore and her smile grew when she saw Jason's parents.

"Hello Kimberly and Trini," Helen said in a gentle voice as they approached. "How are you two today?"

Kimberly smiled, "We're good, Mrs. Lee Scott," she replied. "If you're looking for Jason, he went over to the Youth Center to teach his class and took Malcolm with him. I think Tommy and Billy went too."

"Actually, we were looking for someone to help Thomas and I this afternoon," Helen said gently. "We talked to Jason last night after Malcolm had gone to bed and decided that if Malcolm had a few more of his things from his house in Crystal Valley, he might be less nervous here. Would you like to help us?"

Trini nodded, deciding that it wouldn't be a good idea to tell Jason's parents about Malcolm's troubles with Bulk, Skull, and Rocky earlier that day, "We'd love to help," she replied, looking at Kimberly.

"I'd actually like to see the dojo that was in that picture," Kimberly replied in a hopeful voice.

Thomas smiled, "We'll stop by there when we're done at the house," he replied. "Crystal Valley is so much smaller and safer than Angel Grove that I don't think my brother ever kept his doors locked."

"It's going to be exciting to help you do this for Malcolm," Kimberly said as the four left the school.

* * *

"It's nauseating just WATCHING these goody-goodies!" Rita shouted as she turned away from her telescope and marched to the back of the room. "FINSTER! I NEED YOU TO MAKE ME A MONSTER!"

Finster hurried out of the darkness, accompanied by Zedd, "I thought you were going to try your plan once that injured brat was alone, Rita," Zedd hissed. "He's too protected by the Rangers right now."

"I saw an argument between a kid named Rocky and Malcolm through my telescope," Rita replied in an amused voice. "I think Rocky's going to make Malcolm angry enough to want to act impulsively."

Zedd grunted his approval and Rita turned to Finster, "Make something that will destroy that injured brat's house and force him to use the power I offer him on a selfish desire," she said in a menacing voice as a Power Coin-sized object appeared in her hand. "By acting selfishly, Malcolm will be in my power."

"I will make a Hailer Monster," Finster replied. "It will summon a thunderstorm and create hail the size of soccer balls that will destroy everything that they hit, including everything in Crystal Valley."

As Finster hurried off, Rita turned her attention to Zedd, "Take Zedison and Goldar with you and go with the monster to make sure it does its job," she said menacingly. "I will take the Black Knight with me and we will greet Malcolm when he is alone. Once he learns that his life is gone, he will want it back!"

"I like your plan, Rita," Zedd replied gruffly. "That Wishing Coin will help us gain a new dark warrior."

Rita grinned and swept off into the darkness to find the Black Knight so that they could leave for Earth.

"Zedison, come forth!" Zedd shouted in a gruff, eager tone. "We have another mission to fulfill!"

There was a flash of lightning and Zedison stepped out of the blackness with silver armor covering the chest and shoulders of his ninja outfit. He brandished his sword and walked over to where Zedd stood.

"You summoned me, Father?" Zedison asked in a deep, semi soothing tone. "What is it you wish?"

Zedd grunted his approval at Zedison's greeting, "Your mother and the Black Knight have embarked on a mission to tempt the injured civilian who has immeasurable power," Zedd stated as he summoned his staff. "Goldar will come with you and I to unleash a monster that will cause a wave of destruction."

"I assume it is the monster Finster is making in his lab?" Zedison asked in a smoother, cooler voice.

Zedd nodded, "Your mother ordered him to make it," he replied gruffly. "We shall wait for it."

"What if this Malcolm makes a different choice?" Zedison asked. "What if he refuses the Coin?"

Zedd scoffed, "Malcolm will HAVE to take the coin," he replied. "Either that or there will be death."


	7. Forced Choice of Fate

"Kid? Kid, are you all right?"

A hand gently touched Malcolm's arm, causing him to sit up with an alarmed look on his face, "I didn't mean to frighten you, but Jason mentioned that you might need a pick me up," Ernie said in a gentle voice as he set a large milkshake and a sandwich on the table in front of where Malcolm was sitting.

"I don't have any money for this stuff," Malcolm replied groggily as he moved his binder off the table.

Ernie smiled, "Don't worry about it, it's on the house," he replied gently, not intending on telling Malcolm that Jason had paid him earlier for the food. "How are you liking being in Angel Grove?"

"It was a tough first day of school," Malcolm replied as he set his binder back in his bag.

Ernie nodded and took a seat at the table, turning his chair so that he could watch the class that Jason was teaching on the athletic mats, "I shouldn't have been on my foot so much today," Malcolm said in a tired voice as he took a sip of the milkshake. "This is pretty good. Thank you so much for this food."

"It's not a problem," Ernie replied gently. "You need to keep your strength up so you can heal faster."

Malcolm nodded and silently began to eat the sandwich as he watched Jason and the beginner martial arts students on the athletic mats.

Billy and Tommy were also in uniform, but seemed to be helping the other students with the techniques while Jason worked with Bulk and Skull on the more basic moves.

"When are you going to teach some more advanced moves?" a black haired boy suddenly asked as he shoved Billy. "Hey, four eyes, let's do some sparring! I bet I could take you with my buddy, Rocky!"

Rocky, however, wasn't paying attention; he had spotted Malcolm and was now making his way to the table where Ernie and Malcolm were sitting, "Hey Malcolm, how about that rematch?" he asked.

"Rocky, I need your help in challenging this guy over here!" the dark-haired man yelled, prompting Rocky to turn away from Malcolm and look at his friend and Billy. "I need a sparring partner!"

Scoffing, Rocky moved back down to the mats and got into a fighting stance, "Adam, we'll take him together," he said in a commanding voice, unaware that Jason was watching and was getting annoyed.

"Hey, this is MY class and there's not going to be any bullying!" Jason shouted as he hurried away from Bulk and Skull and over to Billy's defense. "If you want to be bullies, you both can leave the class!"

Rocky and Adam both looked amused, "I was actually hoping to spar with Malcolm," Rocky replied in a cocky voice as he gestured towards Malcolm. "He beat me bad in our last match and I want a rematch."

"I'll do my best, but it won't be like last time," Malcolm replied as he slowly got to his feet and made his way over to where Adam, Rocky, and Jason were standing. "We'll have to spar right here, okay?"

Rocky looked surprised, "We'll wait until we can fight in your dad's dojo with him refereeing the match," he replied in a slightly kinder tone. "Your dad'll get so angry if I try to fight you while you're in a walking cast. I can spar with Adam until you're well enough and then we'll fight at the Crystal Valley dojo."

"I'm afraid that we won't be sparring there anymore," Malcolm replied in a solemn voice as he took a step back. "Even after my injuries heal, I can't fight there anymore. I live in Angel Grove now, Rocky."

Jason frowned, "Malcolm, it's okay," he said in a gentle voice. "You can do martial arts here."

"No, I can't," Malcolm replied in a solemn voice. "It's going to take me a long time to heal."

Rocky scoffed, "We can still combat without feet," he said. "How about some arm wrestling?"

"Jason, I'm going for a walk," Malcolm said in a toneless voice. "Come get me when you're done."

Without waiting for a response, Malcolm walked out of the Youth Center, "Lay off on Malcolm, Rocky," Jason said, unaware that Tommy had come in late and had been ignored by a departing Malcolm.

"Yeah, he's had a hard enough time in Angel Grove," Billy replied, coming to stand beside Jason.

Adam grinned, "Probably bored out of his mind at this tiresome place," he replied. "I don't know why he came to live in Angel Grove anyway. His dad's running a successful dojo in Crystal Valley."

Having had just about enough of Rocky and Adam, Jason scoffed, "In case you weren't aware, Rocky and Adam, Malcolm was in a serious car accident three weeks ago," Tommy interjected, ignoring the stares that the other students were watching them. "He was badly injured and his parents didn't survive."

"Now I feel like an idiot," Rocky said in a solemn voice. "I should probably go and apologize to him."

Tommy sighed, "After the class is done, you can," Jason said. "Let's resume class in the meantime."

Jason went back to instructing the class and, feeling severely chastised, Rocky and Adam rejoined the class and helped Billy with the moves instead of continuing to taunt him.

Knowing that Jason or Billy wouldn't want Malcolm alone for too long, Tommy silently slipped past the group and went outside.

* * *

"It's absolutely beautiful!" Kimberly exclaimed as Thomas pulled the truck up to the curb in front of a large wooden bungalow with stone finishing on the front, glass windows, and a large wooden door.

Thomas smiled as he shut off the engine and climbed out of the truck, "I told you that Crystal Valley wasn't very big," he said as she, Helen, and Trini got out of the truck with the boxes that they had brought to gather some of Malcolm's things. "Even though I didn't ever write, my brother sent me pictures of this place. I feel bad that I can't ever take back what I said to him."

"What you're doing for Malcolm is more than enough," Trini replied calmly. "Can we go inside?"

Thomas nodded and led the way up the stone path and into the bungalow. The inside was decorated with simple furniture, knick-knacks, and a stone fireplace that had a mantle holding family pictures.

"Thomas and I can gather the photos and things out here," Helen said as she began removing photos from the mantle and setting them in a box that was on the hearth. "Kimberly, why don't you and Trini take another box and go through Malcolm's room? Gather whatever will fit in the boxes, okay?"

Trini grabbed a couple of boxes and hurried past the kitchen while Kimberly followed. They passed the bedroom belonging to Malcolm's parents and silently lingered in the open doorway to Malcolm's room.

Malcolm's room contained a bed that had a red bedspread, red body pillow, and a small white pillow on top of it. A desk was in the far corner that contained a small bookshelf that had small trophies on top.

A red dresser was in the other corner next to the small closet that had a few clothes hanging in it and had some photos and a few medals on top of it. There were family photos all over the white walls.

"Malcolm's parents were really important to him, it seems," Kimberly said as they entered the room.

Trini nodded and began removing the photos and medals from the dresser, "Malcolm must have been studying martial arts since he was a little kid," she said as she filled her box. "Some of these are old."

"Oh, here's one of Malcolm and Jason," Kimberly said as she picked up a photo of Malcolm and Jason as kids, both of them dressed in martial arts outfits and wearing gold medals. "They look so cute!"

Trini gazed at the photo for a moment before Kimberly added it to the box, "After we get all the photos, medals, and papers, let's get the books and clothes," Kimberly said. "We should get as much as we can."

Before Trini could reply, crashing sounds could be heard coming from outside. Suddenly, soccer ball sized hail broke through the roof and hit the floor with a BANG.

Kimberly and Trini ran frantically around the room, grabbing everything off the wall, out of the desk, dresser and closet that they could carry.

The loud banging continued as Kimberly and Trini fled from the bedroom with their arms full of Malcolm's possessions.

They quickly met up with Thomas and Helen, both of whom were just coming back inside with empty boxes. Soccer ball sized hail suddenly crashed through the roof to the floor.

"Girls, I think we'd better get out of here," Thomas said in an anxious voice. "We can return later."

Anxious to not get hurt from the hail, Kimberly and Trini quickly followed Thomas and Helen from the house and stored the full boxes in the truck.

Suddenly, Kimberly and Trini saw a large, gray cloud shaped monster standing nearby with his clawed hands extended towards the sky as he beckoned the hail.

"What is that THING?" Helen yelled as she clung to Thomas. "We need to get out of here!"

The monster cackled and Zedd suddenly appeared with Zedison at his side, "Meet the Hail Monster!" Zedd shouted in a menacing voice as the hail continued to fall everywhere in Crystal Valley.

Overwhelmed by the monsters and hail, Helen and Thomas quickly fainted just outside their truck.

"It's Morphin Time!" Kimberly yelled as she pulled out her morpher. "Pterodactyl!" she shouted.

As Kimberly morphed, Trini got out her morpher and held it out, "Sabertooth tiger!" she yelled.

"Ooh, how delightful!" Zedison crooned as he got into fighting stance. "Two Power Rangers!"

Although they tried their best to best Zedd and Zedison with their fighting moves, Kimberly and Trini found that they were no match for the two or for the Hail Monster. To make things worse, the Hail Monster quickly sent some hail crashing down near them, causing them to fall and suffer injury.

They're all too strong," Kimberly gasped, wincing. "Trini, contact the Command Center. We need help."

* * *

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

Frowning, Billy and Jason moved away from the crowd who was practicing some basic moves, "What's wrong, Alpha?" Jason asked as he raised his communicator to his face. "What's going on?"

"Zedd and Zedison have unleashed a new monster on Crystal Valley," Zordon's voice replied. "The monster has unleashed a hail storm that is destroying everything in sight. Your help is needed."

Jason frowned, as his parents, Kimberly, and Trini were in Crystal Valley, "It's Morphin Time, Billy!" he said as he whipped out his morpher and held it in front of him. "Tyrannosaurus!"

"Triceratops!" Billy shouted as he got out his morpher. "Let's go help Kim and Trini!"

Ruins were all that remained of Malcolm's house and the rest of Crystal Valley as Jason and Billy materialized. They could see Kimberly and Trini putting Thomas and Helen in the truck.

Unfortunately, they could also see the Hail Monster making enough hail to flatten even the ruins of Malcolm's house and the rest of the valley.

People who hadn't been flattened by the hail were fleeing on foot with nothing but the clothes on their back. Zedd and Zedison were watching with amusement.

"Your time is up, Zedd!" Jason shouted as he and Billy raced over to where Kimberly and Trini were closing the doors to Thomas's truck. They could see that Kimberly and Trini had been hit by the hail.

Zedd cackled as the Hail Monster tossed another piece of hail towards them, barely missing the truck where Jason's parents were, "As much fun as this is, we have done all that we came to do," Zedd said in a menacing voice as he waved his staff and the Hail Monster vanished. "We now bid you farewell."

As Zedd and Zedison disappeared, there was another beeping sound, "Rangers, return to Angel Grove immediately," Zordon's voice said. "Malcolm and Tommy are in danger. Return immediately."

"We'll come back for my parents later," Jason said to the others. "Let's get back to Angel Grove."

* * *

A sigh escaped Malcolm's lips as he skipped another rock across the lake that was just yards from the Youth Center. His new life was just beginning, but he had to lose so much already; was it worth it to embrace this life?

Other than the problem with Bulk, Skull, and Rocky, school had been quiet for him that day and he had been fine until Rocky had started taunting him about his parents.

Despite Jason's advice to relax and Dr. Oliver's advice to engage in therapeutic drawing, Malcolm found himself too tired to do much but think.

"Well Malcolm, you're finally alone!" Rita shouted as she appeared with her staff in hand and the Black Knight by her side. Both were unaware that Tommy had followed Malcolm and was watching from the bushes. "My name is Rita Repulsa and I know that you have a great power inside of yourself!"

Confused, Malcolm slowly stood as Rita and the Black Knight approached, "The Power Rangers cannot protect you, but they do not need to," she said as she conjured up the coin. "I have a coin for you that will grant one wish to you that must come true. Anything you want can be yours, Malcolm."

"DON'T DO IT!" Tommy yelled as he came out and ran towards Rita. "Don't trust her, Malcolm! She's an evil sorceress!"

Rita growled and quickly zapped Tommy with her staff, sending him to the ground unconscious. Before she could speak, however, Jason, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy materialized in their Power Ranger suits. They saw Rita and the Black Knight surrounding Malcolm.

"What do you say to my offer, Malcolm?" Rita asked as she extended the coin towards him. "You can wish for anything you want."

An uneasy feeling filled Malcolm's heart as he looked at Tommy's unconscious form, "If you're not sure what to wish for, let me show you the condition of the place you once called home," Rita said as she conjured up a crystal ball. "Crystal Valley was decimated by a hail storm."

"Malcolm, don't listen to her!" Jason shouted as he moved towards Rita. "Rangers, come on! Malcolm and Tommy need our help now!"

Rita cackled and used her staff to conjure up a batch of Putties that blocked Jason, Trini, Kimberly, and Billy from reaching Malcolm.

"Malcolm, don't do it!" Billy yelled as he knocked one of the Putties out and helped Trini to knock out another one. "She's evil!"

Malcolm swallowed hard, "I don't want it," he said in an uncertain voice as he glared at Rita. "I don't want one wish."

Rita roared and zapped Tommy again, "If you don't take the coin and make a wish, I'll kill Tommy," she threatened. "I mean it!"

"MALCOLM, DON'T DO IT!" the four Rangers roared as they defeated the last of the Putties. "SHE'S TRYING TO TRICK YOU!"

Swallowing hard, Malcolm tried to walk over to Tommy, but Rita quickly used her staff to create a forcefield separating him from both Tommy and the Power Rangers.

Only she and the Black Knight remained close enough to Malcolm to touch or even communicate with him. All Jason, Trini, Kimberly, and Billy could do was watch and hope Malcolm made a wise decision.

"I will kill every last one of the Rangers if you don't take this coin," Rita roared angrily. "I'll begin with Tommy, the former Green Ranger. If you don't do as I tell you right now, you'll go down in history as the one who destroyed the Power Rangers!"

Even though he was in extreme pain and scared out of his mind by all that was happening, Malcolm mustered all the courage he could and held out his hand, "All right," he said in a nervous voice. "I'll take the coin if you don't hurt the Rangers at all."

"Good choice, Malcolm," Rita said as she stepped forward and forced the coin into Malcolm's hand. "Now make a wish."

Jason, Trini, Kimberly, and Billy watched as Malcolm stared at the coin for a moment before looking at Rita. Malcolm them gazed at Tommy before resting his tired gaze on the Power Rangers; his mind and heart were unsure of what to focus on.

There was so much he could wish for, Malcolm thought; so much had been lost and could be easily gained with one wish. He thought for a moment and with a sigh, he closed his hand around the coin. A tear fell down his face as he placed his other hand over his fist to secure his decision.

The Rangers, Rita, and the Black Knight gasped in shock and horror as Malcolm and Tommy suddenly vanished without any trace left behind.

* * *

**What do you all think of the story thus far? Please read and review!**


	8. Friends, Foes, and the Future

"_Jason's such a clod," Rocky hooted as he watched the news from the TV at the Youth Center. "He runs off without finishing his class and is out in the open when some strange dude started shooting hail at Crystal Valley. I heard some people named the Power Rangers showed up, but too little too late…"_

"This one's got quite a mouth," Zedd said as he peeked through the telescope and watched as Rocky talked to Adam and Ernie. "He seems to think that he's just as good as the Power Rangers."

Rita said nothing; she merely lay on the black claw lounge in the throne room with an icepack on her forehead as she struggled to feel better.

After the fiasco with the coin, Rita had such a headache that she had to be carried back to the palace by the Black Knight, who was now 'resting.'

"How are we supposed to get the motormouth on our side, though?" Goldar asked as he watched Zedison pace back and forth as close to the shadows as he could get. "He looks very strong-willed."

Rita moaned, "Just capture him like we did the Black Ranger," she said in an annoyed voice. "We can brainwash him and train him to be a Dark Ranger. He has a couple of friends who would also work for this plan."

"I see," Zedd replied as he peered through the telescope and saw another boy and girl join Rocky at the counter. "YES, they look incredibly strong and might make decent Dark Rangers. I seem to remember the dark haired boy helping Rocky try to engage Malcolm and the Power Rangers in a fight."

Zedison suddenly walked over to Zedd, "Why not revert the Black Knight back to his civilian form to befriend and lure those three to you, Father?" he asked in an eager voice. "He could prove useful."

"What an EXCELLENT idea!" Rita crowed, her headache forgotten as she rose from the lounge and joined Zedd and Zedison at the telescope. "Once those three are captured, we can brainwash them and they can join you and the Black Knight in becoming the Dark Rangers. Zedison, prepare the Black Knight!"

Zedison bowed, "I will begin immediately, Mother," he said, walking off into the darkness.

"It's good that you have your old spunk back, Rita," Zedd said in a menacing tone. "I missed it."

Rita cackled and moved back to the telescope to think of a new plan for terrorizing the Earth.

* * *

It had been hours since Malcolm and Tommy had vanished into thin air and there was nothing for the Rangers to do but de-morph and return to the Youth Center.

Rita and the Black Knight had left right after the disappearance had occurred, so all Jason, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy could do was be patient.

Ernie had kept the Youth Center open as late as he could and had even let Rocky and Jason spar a bit in the ring to keep them from a confrontation.

While Rocky and Jason sparred, Kimberly and Trini had gone over to the table where Aisha was sitting with a notebook in front of her. Aisha looked up at them.

"Hi," Aisha said in a gentle voice. "I'm Aisha Campbell. I think I saw you two at the school today."

Kimberly smiled and extended her hand, "I'm Kimberly Hart," she replied. "This is Trini Kwan."

"Cool," Aisha replied gently. "Say, was that your friend that Rocky was bothering at school?"

Trini nodded, "I'm really surprised that Rocky was so rude," Aisha continued in a worried voice. "I talked with him after Malcolm left and Rocky was feeling bad when he heard that Malcolm's parents had died."

"Well, sparring with Jason seems to be calming Rocky down," Kimberly replied as she turned to watch Jason and Rocky in the ring. "Jason's pretty upset about how his cousin was treated and maybe a spar with Rocky will calm things down a bit. I don't know what happened to Tommy and Malcolm, though."

Trini sighed, wondering If Rita and her magic coin had ended up taking Malcolm and Tommy to the Dark Dimension.

If that had happened, there was no chance that they could escape because Tommy was powerless and Malcolm was still recovering from his injuries. Both of them could already be lost to evil.

"Maybe Billy and Adam will find them," Trini said, remembering that Billy had taken Adam on a walk to explain Malcolm's situation after Jason had resumed class. "They probably ended up going for a walk."

Ernie suddenly cleared his throat, "Say, Kimberly, do you think you might be up to showing off some of your gymnastics moves?" he asked. "Maybe by the time you're done, all of your friends will be back."

"That's a good idea, Ernie," Kimberly replied as she moved away from the table. "I'll go change."

* * *

"Mother, the Black Knight is ready," Zedison spoke as he guided Zack, who was now dressed in shorts, sneakers, and a black t-shirt out of the darkness. "Where shall I send Zack first?"

Rita looked through her telescope and saw Malcolm walking alone, looking very weak and as if he were going to be sick. Not far from Malcolm were Adam and Billy, although they didn't see each other yet.

"Send him after that injured brat," Rita ordered in a gruff tone. "He needs a wake-up call after wasting my coin. I thought for sure he would use it to restore his beloved Crystal Valley to its rightful state."

Zack quickly got into fighting stance, "I will deal with the civilian," he said in a dark, angry voice.

"I will send some Putties to keep that Power Ranger from the fight," Zedison said as he turned his attention to the telescope. "Malcolm will learn how foolish he was to waste his only chance."

Rita grinned, "Excellent!" she shouted as she cast another spell on Zack. "Go forth and conquer!"

* * *

His vision kept blurring, but Malcolm kept limping across the grass in hopes that he would find someone who could help him with the feelings of extreme weakness and nausea that filled his entire body.

The only memories of the past few hours he had were vague at best and the only clue to Tommy's whereabouts were in a letter that was in his pocket.

Malcolm knew he was in no shape to go try and find Tommy himself after whatever had happened to him; he had to find Jason…Jason could help him.

"Well, well, well," Zack said in a mocking tone as he suddenly stepped out from behind a tree. "I thought you had found some new friends, Malcolm? If they're you're friends, why aren't they here with you?"

Malcolm frowned, "Who are you?" he asked in a nervous voice. "How do you know who I am?"

"My name is Zack Taylor," Zack replied in a menacing voice as he shoved Malcolm to the ground.

Too weak to move on his own, Malcolm struggled to stay awake on the grass, "Zack?" he asked in a groggy voice as Zack kicked him hard in the side. "I've heard Jason mention you a few times…"

"I have no friends," Zack replied in a sharp voice, unaware that Billy and Adam had caught sight of the problem and were making their way over to the two. "You seem to not have any friends either."

Alarmed that Zack was attacking Malcolm, Billy quickly got himself between the two, "Zack, what are you doing?" Billy asked, doing his best to protect Malcolm from further harm. "What's wrong?"

His eyes flashing red, Zack twirled and kicked Billy in the chest, "Guys, hang on!" Adam yelled, not wanting Billy or Malcolm to get hurt further. "Let me take this guy on! He can't fight worth beans!"

Gritting his teeth, Zack turned his attention to Adam as they fought, Billy knelt down to Malcolm and helped the weak young man sit up, "Malcolm, where's Tommy?" Billy asked, frowning at how pale and sweaty Malcolm looked. "Can you get up? We should get you to the Youth Center where it's safe."

"I don't know where Tommy is," Malcolm replied in a faint voice, wincing as Billy slowly helped him to his feet. Pain shot through his trembling body as he leant on Billy for support to move across the grass.

As he delivered a drop kick to Zack's chest, Adam looked at Billy, "Get Malcolm out of here!" Adam yelled in an anxious voice as Zack advanced on him. "I'll do my best to hold Zack off!"

"Billy, you need to get the Power Rangers to help Adam," Malcolm said in a weak voice as they escaped.

Unfortunately, once Billy and Malcolm were out of sight, Zack delivered a sharp enough kick to Adam's chest that it knocked him down. Zack then stepped on Adam's chest and cackled menacingly.

"You'll make a fine soldier for Rita and Zedd," Zack said menacingly, his eyes glowing a deep red.

* * *

Just as she completed a backflip on the beam, Kimberly spotted Billy helping a barely conscious Malcolm into the Youth Center. She immediately hopped off the beam and hurried over to them to help Billy.

"What happened?" Kimberly asked just as Jason and Rocky noticed that Malcolm and Billy were there.

Billy quickly helped Malcolm to lie down on an athletic mat before he fainted, "Zack attacked Malcolm and tried to attack me and Adam," he said as he knelt down next to Malcolm. "Adam is back by the water trying to stop Zack and he sent me to bring Malcolm here. I don't know what's wrong with Zack."

"Wasn't Malcolm with Tommy?" Trini asked as she hurried over to the mats. "Where's Tommy at?"

Quickly whispering an apology to Rocky, Jason climbed out of the ring and hurried over to where Malcolm lay, almost ready to lose consciousness from pain, weakness, and nausea.

Jason could see a piece of paper sticking out of Malcolm's pocket and carefully took it out before anyone else could.

"What happened out there?" Ernie asked in a concerned voice as he came over to the crowd.

Jason shook his head as he slipped a folded towel underneath Malcolm's head, "According to what I saw, Zack attacked Malcolm for no reason at all," Billy interjected, not sure how Malcolm ended up so weak and pale. "Adam and I tried to defend Malcolm, but Adam told me to get Malcolm to safety."

"If Adam's in trouble, we'll help him," Rocky said as he jumped out of the ring. "You coming, Aisha?"

Aisha nodded and hurried over to Rocky, "Thanks for the company today, Kimberly and Trini."

"…I'm so cold," Malcolm suddenly moaned as he opened his eyes and saw Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, Rocky, Aisha, and Ernie hovering over him. "What happened to me? Did Zack end up killing me?"

Ernie frowned as Jason knelt beside Malcolm, "Zack Taylor did this to you?" he asked, concerned.

"I don't remember much of it," Malcolm replied, wincing as he put a hand to his forehead.

Rocky looked at Aisha, "I'll apologize to Malcolm when he's feeling better," he said in a hushed voice as he led her away from the group. "For now, let's go get Adam away from Zack and go home."

"Yeah," Aisha replied, although she looked reluctant as she and Rocky left the Youth Center.

Jason carefully helped Malcolm to his feet, "A weekend of rest will do you good, Malcolm," he said in a calming voice as he put a supportive arm around his cousin. "By Monday, you should be well again."

"Sit down and have something to eat before you go," Ernie offered, deeply concerned that Malcolm might pass out before he got back to Jason's. "In fact, I'll make something for all of you to eat."

Everyone nodded in agreement and as Ernie moved back to the kitchen, Billy assisted Jason in helping Malcolm over to a table while Kimberly and Trini followed close behind.

Even though everyone seemed intent on eating, Billy knew that he should try and see how Adam had fared at the next opportunity.

* * *

"Adam?" Aisha asked as she and Rocky approached where Adam and Zack were. "Are you okay?"

Adam was silent for a moment and then turned to face Aisha; she saw that his eyes were glowing red and that there was a calm, yet evil smile on his face. Scared, Aisha backed up and nearly ran into Rocky.

"Aisha, don't be afraid," Adam spoke in a calming voice. "This is Zack and he wants to be our friend."

Rocky put his hands on Aisha's wanting to drag her to safety, "Why are you afraid of me and Zack, Rocky?" Adam asked as he stepped forward and gazed into Rocky's eyes. "There is nothing to fear."

"There is nothing to fear," Rocky repeated tonelessly as Zedd's magic began to overtake his mind.

Zack smiled, "If we stick together, we can do anything," he said confidently. "Prince Zedison!"

Zedison suddenly appeared out of thin air and smiled when he saw that Zack had not only gathered, but brainwashed Adam, Rocky, and Aisha to complete obedience. He brandished his sword at them.

"Greetings, I am Zedison, son of Lord Zedd," Zedison said in a commanding tone. "Bow before me."

Zack, Aisha, Rocky, and Adam silently bowed themselves to the grass, "We will serve Lord Zedd to the best of our ability," they all said in unison. "Teach us all we need to know to be Dark Rangers."

Zedison grinned menacingly and cackled as the five of them teleported away from the open area.

* * *

_Beep beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

"Zordon?" Billy asked as he, Kimberly, and Trini moved away from the bedroom at the Lee Scott house that Jason and Malcolm shared.

There was silence and then Zordon's voice filtered out of the communicator, "Rangers, you are needed at the Command Center immediately," he said in a toneless voice. "Are all of you together?"

"Yes, but Jason's taking care of Malcolm," Billy replied as he looked into the bedroom and watched as Jason tucked an exhausted Malcolm into bed and placed a wrapped icepack on his cousin's forehead.

Trini looked at Billy, "If Zordon wants all of us, Jason will have to come too," she said in a low voice.

"Trini, Jason's place is with his cousin right now," Zordon interjected. "I will teleport him to the Command Center later on. For now, you, Billy, and Kimberly need to come right away."

Billy sighed and moved into the room, "Jason, Zordon called Trini, Kimberly, and I to the Command Center," he said in a worried voice. "He said for you to stay with Malcolm; to take care of him."

"I'll do that," Jason replied in a firm voice as Billy moved out of the room. "Take care, guys."

As Billy, Kimberly, and Trini teleported away, Malcolm began to cough in his sleep and promptly woke up ready to vomit, "Jason, pass me the bucket," he whimpered faintly. "I'm gonna be sick again."

Jason sighed, grabbed a small bucket from the floor, and quickly stuck it under Malcolm's chin.

As Malcolm threw up, Jason waited patiently for it to be over before taking the bucket and putting it on the dresser to clean out. He then took a glass of water off the desk and gently put the straw in Malcolm's mouth. Malcolm drank slowly for a moment, spat out the straw, and laid back down.

Jason sighed; it was fortunate that his parents had gotten home from Crystal Valley safely and had chosen to go to bed early, storing Malcolm's possessions safely in the garage to show them to him at a later time.

"Just breathe deep and relax," Jason said in a soothing tone as he replaced the ice pack. "Hang in there."

* * *

Waves of fog scattered across the floor greeted Kimberly, Trini, and Billy as they materialized within the Command Center. A door of light opened and Alpha came out and walked over to the three Rangers.

"Before Zordon speaks, I assure you that Jason and Malcolm are being protected," Alpha stated as he walked over to the Control Area. "Zordon, three of the Rangers have come like you asked."

Zordon suddenly materialized in his time warp, "Rangers, Rita and Zedd have developed a new plot to take over the Earth using Dark Rangers created from innocent citizens," he said in a solemn tone as Trini, Billy, and Kimberly turned to face him. "I have a plan that will give you ample help, but I will only reveal it when Jason is able to be here. For now, though, behold the viewing globe."

Exchanging looks of concern, Kimberly, Billy, and Trini walked over to the viewing globe and were horrified when they saw Zedd, Rita, and Zedison training four beings, all of whom were clad in yellow, blue, pink, and black was wearing a red body suit and brandishing a gold dagger at each of them as Zedd and Rita cackled with pride.

Unsure of what to say, the three Rangers gaped at the images in horror.


	9. Evil's Upper Hand

"…Attention students, the sign-up sheets for the World Peace Conference interviews are now available at the office," a brisk voice spoke over the intercom. "If you are interested, come to the office and select the best available timeslot. The sheets will be available for three weeks…"

As she and Kimberly exited Ms. Appleby's class, Trini smiled at hearing the announcement, "I'm totally going to sign up for an interview," she said in an eager voice. "Going to Switzerland would be fun."

"What if you get selected to go?" Kimberly asked. "We can't do without a Yellow Ranger, Trini."

Trini sighed, "I really don't think Zedd is going to try anything for a while," she said in a skeptical voice as they walked down the hallway to their lockers. "It'll take him a while for him to train his Dark Rangers."

"Trini, Zedd and Rita are capable of anything at any time," Kimberly replied in a concerned voice. "I don't know why you think he's going to wait, but all of us have to be on our guard at all times."

As Kimberly and Trini continued walking and talking, Aisha stepped out from behind the soda machines with a stern expression on her face. She had heard Trini saying that Lord Zedd wouldn't strike for a while because his warriors weren't ready, but Aisha knew better; she, Rocky, Adam, and Zack WERE ready.

Attacking Kimberly and Trini in the hallway where other people were coming and going wasn't smart, Aisha reasoned, but she could follow them to where they were alone and vulnerable to trouble. She could also get help and go after the other Rangers as well.

* * *

"…Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty," Jason said, smiling as Malcolm eased his head back down on to a folded towel that was on the floor. "Good job, man."

From the stationary bike he was riding, Billy smiled as Malcolm sat up, "I used to be able to do one-hundred of these three times a day," Malcolm said in a tired voice as Jason offered him a bottle of vitamin water. "I hope you guys don't get in trouble for missing class to help me do my physio."

"We won't get in trouble," Jason replied confidently, never intending to tell Malcolm that he stopped by Dr. Oliver's office a week earlier and asked for help in getting a pass from certain classes so that Malcolm could do extra physio during school with proper supervision. "Billy's got a spare anyway."

Dr. Oliver had done one better; he had gone to Mr. Caplan and convinced him to allow both Jason and Billy to do a few distance learning classes and be allowed to help Malcolm in their spare time.

"Let's see, that's one rep of 30 crunches and one rep of 30 sit-ups done now," Billy said as Malcolm took a few sips of water. "According to your physio schedule that I've memorized, three reps of 10 walking laps are next."

Jason quickly stood up and helped Malcolm to his feet, "Maybe in a week or two, I'll be allowed to start running again," Malcolm said as the two of them walked into the gymnasium. "My dad and I—"

"Hello Jason and Malcolm," Zack said in an aloof tone as he suddenly came into the room with Aisha; both of them were dressed in workout gear. "Are you guys done hogging the workout room?"

Just then, Billy came out of the workout room with three towels in his hands, "Hey Zack, it's been a while since I've seen you," he said in a gentle voice. "How are you doing in your distance studies?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zack replied aloofly. "Are you done in the workout room?"

Surprised by Zack's attitude, Jason nodded, "We're done," he replied. "What's wrong, Zack?"

"I'm just anxious," Zack replied in a toneless voice. "Aisha and I are going to be signing up for interviews for the Peace Conference. Do you think any of you will sign up for a Peace Conference interview?"

Jason suddenly looked intrigued, "I've been considering it," he replied. "It might be a good opportunity."

"Why don't you sign up, Malcolm?" Zack asked as he took a towel from Billy. "You could use your superior martial arts skills to help people accept the concept of peace a little faster."

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

"Malcolm, would you excuse us for a moment?" Jason asked, realizing that Zordon needed them.

Nodding, Malcolm stepped away from Zack, "I'll just sit on the bleachers until you come back," he said in a tired voice, relieved that he could take a break. "The weight room's free for you, Zack and Aisha."

"We'll be back soon," Billy said just before he and Jason walked out of the gym, leaving Malcolm alone.

As Malcolm walked over to the bleachers, Zack and Aisha looked at each other with menacing grins.

* * *

"Ooh, Zeddy, look at that!" Rita shouted as she watched Malcolm sit on the bleachers. "The Power Rangers left that helpless civilian in the hands of two of your Dark Rangers! We can get him!"

Zedd stalked over to the telescope and had a look of his own, "Excellent!" he said in a menacing tone as he gazed at Rita. "With these interviews coming up and the Rangers being presented new opportunities, the world will be vulnerable to attack. I have noticed that Malcolm seems to be very close to and reliant on Jason and the other Rangers for help in overcoming his own demons of loss."

"I say we capture Malcolm and imprison him in a world where he's all alone," Rita said in a mocking voice as she moved away from Zedd. "What if the Power Rangers try to rescue him, though?"

"While Malcolm is suffering in his prison of isolation, we'll send a monster down to the Earth that will be so desperate to find people that it will destroy anything to find them," Rita said in an amused tone. "The Clingy Star will wreak so much destruction on Angel Grove that the Rangers will be forced to defend Angel Grove and leave Malcolm in isolation. In isolation, Malcolm will be at the mercy of the power of darkness."

Zedison stepped forth out of the darkness, "I have contacted Aisha and Zack," he reported in a toneless voice. "I have instructed them to lure Malcolm to where he can be kidnapped without interference."

"Excellent," Zedd replied, deeply proud of how his 'son' was developing. "What an excellent plan."

Rita cackled, "FINSTER, MAKE THE CLINGY STAR!" she shouted. "ANGEL GROVE WILL SUFFER!"

* * *

Unaware what Zedd and his new warriors had planned, Skull strode into the gym dressed in workout clothes and saw Malcolm sitting on the bleachers enjoying water from Jason's water bottle.

"Hey Malcolm," Skull said in a fake upbeat voice. "You look good in Jason's clothes."

Malcolm raised an eyebrow, but said nothing; he had few clothes of his own, so he was currently dressed in a spare workout outfit of Jason's and a pair of new sneakers that had been given to him.

"What can I do for you, Skull?" Malcolm asked in a polite voice, as he wanted to be kind to everyone even though Bulk and Skull had tried to beat him up on the first day of school.

Skull sighed, his cheery façade fading, "Bulk's sick with the flu," he said in a sad voice. "Class was so boring without him that I actually paid attention. Do you think you could spot me for a little while?"

"Sure," Malcolm replied, eager to make a new friend. "Do you want to lift weights while I watch and make sure that you're being safe with them?"

Skull nodded just as Aisha and Zack came out of the weight room, "Hey Malcolm, wanna cut class and go for a jog in the park?" Aisha asked in a seductive tone. "Me and Zack wanna show it off to you."

"I can't do any running yet," Malcolm replied gently. "Besides, I was about to help Skull out."

Aisha and Zack exchanged a look, "Skull can come if he wants to," Zack said, knowing that Zedd could use Skull as part of his new Dark Army. "I think Jason and Billy went to the park already, actually."

Malcolm frowned, wondering if Jason and Billy had decided to ditch the weight training and use their free time to goof off in the park, "Maybe I'll go ask Dr. Oliver if he's seen them," he said in an uncertain voice, as something told him that Zack and Aisha were acting strange and not to go with them.

"Doctor Oliver is just an old man and doesn't have power over you," Aisha snapped as she stepped closer to Malcolm and Skull. "Skull can come if he wants, but you should come with us right now."

* * *

"Power Rangers, I have gathered you here for a very special purpose," Zordon said as Jason, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy materialized in the Command Center. "As you are already aware, Rita visited Malcolm weeks ago and offered him a coin that would grant him one wish. That one wish was in fact, made."

Jason sighed, "I wondered why Malcolm was so sick when Billy found him and brought him to the Youth Center," he replied softly. "Rita's power must have drained his energy."

"The strength of evil in the Power Coin was very taxing on Malcolm and Rita had hoped to coerce him into making a selfish wish by destroying his home and town," Zordon explained. "However, Malcolm did not make a selfish wish and instead wished for help to come to the decimated Power Rangers."

There was a loud bang and Alpha suddenly came out of a door of light, "Zordon, it's completed," he said.

"Rangers, behold the help that Malcolm wished to come to you," Zordon said. "Turn around."

Jason, Billy, Trini, and Kimberly turned just in time to see a being in a White Power Ranger uniform being lowered from an overhead compartment. The White Ranger silently landed on the ground with grace.

"The power from the Wishing Coin and Malcolm's unselfish wish provided enough power for a new Ranger to be created," Zordon stated. "White Ranger, please reveal yourself to the other Rangers."

The White Ranger nodded and silently removed his helmet, revealing a healthy looking Tommy.

"Tommy!" Billy said in an excited voice. "So this is what happened when you and Malcolm vanished."

Tommy nodded, "I was unconscious for the longest time and when I woke up, I was here being taken care of by Alpha," he said in a tired voice. "Alpha said that Malcolm's wish made the White Ranger."

"We left Malcolm at the school!" Jason said, suddenly remembering that Malcolm needed them.

The alarm suddenly went off, "Rangers, Malcolm and an innocent civilian have been captured by Zedd's Dark Rangers and taken to the Dark Dimension," Zordon said. "However, there is a greater emergency that requires your attention. Zedd has created a new monster called the Clingy Star and has set it loose in the park. The Clingy Star is one who seeks people and will destroy anything that stands in its way."

"What are we going to do?" Trini asked in a concerned voice. "We can't ignore either situation."

* * *

"Welcome to my Dark Dimension!" Zedd said in a commanding tone as Malcolm and Skull materialized in front of Zedd's throne. "I am Lord Zedd, Emperor of Evil and this is my queen, Rita Repulsa."

Malcolm glared at Rita, "I remember you," he said in an angry tone. "You hurt Tommy and threatened to kill him if I didn't use your stupid Wishing Coin. Did you tell Zack and Aisha to bring Skull and I here?"

"Ah, the boy has brains as well as a loose tongue," Zedd replied in an amused voice. "No matter."

Rita stepped forward, "I'll give you one final chance to pledge your allegiance, Malcolm," she said in a menacing voice as she poked him with her staff. "If you serve us, you will be set free from here."

"I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life than be a friend to evil," Malcolm replied, utterly disgusted by Rita and Zedd's constant attempts to cause trouble. "I want nothing to do with you and your evil."

Zedd grunted and pointed his staff at Malcolm, "As you wish," he grunted. "Enjoy eternal solitude."

As Malcolm disappeared, Rita turned to Skull and gestured to her crystal ball, "Take a look what fate your friend has chosen for himself," she said, brandishing her staff at him. "Go quickly and look!"

Skull nodded and walked over to the globe; he looked into it and saw that Malcolm was sitting on the floor in a small room that was dark and devoid of any furniture. He looked scared, but also very determined to wait out his isolation in quiet, peace, and whatever time he had to spend there.

"You can join your friend if you won't join my Dark Army," Zedd stated in an aggressive tone.

Not wanting to die or lose his freedom, Skull whimpered and quickly knelt before Zedd and Rita. He wondered if he would ever see Bulk again as Zedd tapped his head with the staff, brainwashing him into believing that he, Skull, was a servant to Lord Zedd and Rita.

* * *

**Please read and review my story so that I'll feel motivated to post more chapters!**


	10. The Heart of Rescue

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy shouted, holding his Morpher out. "Tigerzord!"

"Pterodactyl!" Kimberly yelled, holding her Morpher out.

"Triceratops!" Billy yelled, holding his Morpher out.

"Sabertooth Tiger!" Trini yelled, holding her Morpher out.

"Tyrannosaurus!" Jason yelled, holding his Morpher out.

As the Rangers materialized in the park, they could see a pink starfish-shaped monster shooting out metallic bolts of lightning at trees, rocks, and picnic tables. They quickly ran towards it.

"Your party of destruction is over!" Jason shouted as they faced off with the Clingy Star.

The Clingy Star cackled and shot bolts of lightning at the Rangers, all of them just barely missing their targets, "DARN IT!" it shouted in a whiny voice. "I WANTED PEOPLE, NOT POWER RANGERS!"

* * *

The sound of thunder brought Malcolm to his feet and he gazed around his room of isolation, deeply confused about where the thunder had originated from. Suddenly, there was a loud cackle.

"Is isolation getting to you, Malcolm?" Goldar's voice suddenly rang out. "Do you need entertainment?"

There was a loud boom and Malcolm saw a wall panel slide open, "Perhaps you need a reminder of how vulnerable a lonely human can become," Goldar spoke. "Behold, the Dark Rangers of Evil."

Fear seeped into Malcolm's heart as Zedison, who was clad in a red body suit, led five beings out of the wall, all of them carrying hand weapons; the figures were clad in yellow, blue, gray, black, and green body suits and looked as if they were ready for a good fight. Malcolm quickly got into fighting stance.

"Dark Yellow, reveal your power," Zedison said in a gruff tone. "Defeat this helpless civilian."

As the Dark Yellow Ranger stepped forward brandishing a forked sword, Malcolm suddenly had a vision of Aisha being brainwashed by Rita while an already brainwashed Rocky, Adam, and Zack watched.

"Aisha?" Malcolm asked, taking a step back from the Dark Yellow Ranger. "Aisha, it's Malcolm."

There was silence and then the Dark Yellow, Blue, Pink, and Black Rangers removed their helmets one by one, revealing Rocky, Adam, Zack, and Skull; all of their eyes were glowing red as they leered at him.

"I can't fight," Malcolm said, not wanting anyone to get hurt. "I don't want to hurt any of you."

Goldar's voice rang out in a cackle, "Dark Rangers, ATTACK!" he shouted in a menacing tone.

Putting their helmets back on, the six Dark Rangers advanced on Malcolm, determined to destroy him.

* * *

"Take that!" Billy yelled as he delivered a jumpkick to the Clingy Star, knocking it over.

The Clingy Star was immediately thrown off balance, but did not fall over, "NO FAIR!" it shouted in a whiny voice. "THAT WAS A CHEAP SHOT, BLUE RANGER! NOW LET ME SHOW YOU ONE OF MINE!"

"I don't think so," Trini replied as she threw two kata punches at the Star, pushing it back a bit.

* * *

"That Star's getting its points handed to him, Zeddy!" Rita whined as she observed the battle between the Rangers and the Clingy Star through her telescope. "The Power Rangers are going to beat it!"

Zedd growled, "NOT IN THIS LIFETIME!" he roared as he pulled out a grenade and threw it to Earth.

"Master and Mistress, there is a disturbance in the Isolation Chamber," Goldar said as he suddenly hurried out of the darkness. "Malcolm is refusing to fight the Dark Rangers and they are hesitating."

Rita turned from the telescope with an enraged look on her face, "WHAT ARE YOU STANDING THERE FOR, GOLDAR?" she roared angrily. "GO AND FORCE MY DARK RANGERS TO DESTROY HIM!"

* * *

"Are you ready to give up and join us, Malcolm?" the Black Knight asked as kicked Malcolm in the chest, sending him to the floor in front of where the Dark Red Knight was standing. "You're ALL alone!"

Even though he was now hurting, Malcolm quickly got to his feet and assumed fighting stance, "You want to go one on one with me?" the Dark Red Ranger taunted as he brandished a dagger at Malcolm.

For what seemed like several minutes, Malcolm and the Dark Red Ranger fought against each other in hand-to-hand combat, most of the damage being inflicted on Malcolm due to his lack of strength.

"Tag out!" the Dark Gray Ranger yelled in an eager voice. "I want a shot at him!"

The Dark Red Ranger stepped back and was amused that the Dark Gray Ranger did nothing more than wear Malcolm down with unskilled maneuvers. Unable to let the Dark Gray Ranger falter any longer, the Dark Yellow Ranger stepped in and quickly delivered several cuts to Malcolm's face with a brass knuckle.

"This is all very amusing, but it's going too slowly," Zedison said, watching as the other Dark Rangers delivered simple attacks to Malcolm that rendered only the simplest of injuries. "Dark Rangers, stop."

Not daring to disobey Zedison, as Zedd and Rita would find out if they did, the other Dark Rangers put away their weapons and gathered in a half-circle behind Zedison. Zedison approached Malcolm.

"I will finish you off myself," Zedison said as he walked a circle around Malcolm. "It is my right."

Malcolm took a deep breath and, despite the trembling in his entire body, kept in fighting stance.

"You should have made friends with the Dark Rangers in their civilian forms when you had the chance, Malcolm," Zedison said as he lunged at Malcolm and barely missed hitting him. "Now suffer freely."

Malcolm gritted his teeth, "I was never forgotten by anyone," he replied. "I knew that all along."

"Nobody cares about you," Zedison continued as a large scythe appeared in his hands. "Now die."

Even though he knew it would hurt him further, Malcolm promptly dropped and rolled away from Zedison and into an unoccupied corner, "I'm not ready to die yet," Malcolm said in a tired voice.

"So you want to play with your hands and feet, do you?" Zedison snapped, throwing the scythe to the ground where it smashed. "Be a man and we'll finish this with old-fashioned combat then."

Malcolm quickly got to his feet and assumed fighting stance as Zedison approached, "Unfortunately for you, I don't play by any rules," Zedison growled as he quickly delivered a drop-kick to Malcolm's chest.

Unable to stand any longer, as he was exhausted from fighting the Dark Rangers, Malcolm fell to the floor hard and stared at the ceiling. His heart wanted to fight back, but his body lacked the strength.

"Now you will die at my hand," Zedison said as he threw a fire dagger towards Malcolm's body.

As he felt the dagger's fire sear him before landing several yards away, Malcolm reached up and touched his forehead to try and think of a solution; he could feel blood on his sweaty forehead.

"_Your heart will save you,"_ Malcolm suddenly heard a faint voice say as Zedison approached him.

* * *

The grenade landed in front of the Clingy Star, much to the horror of the Rangers on the ground.

With a single kick at it, the Clingy Star suddenly found itself high enough to touch the sky, "We need our Zords!" Tommy yelled in an anxious voice. "We need the extra power from them to destroy this!"

"We need MORE POWER!" Jason yelled, summoning the Zords from their hiding places.

It didn't take long for the Red Dragon, Unicorn, Griffin, Firebird, and White Tiger Thunderzord to arrive at where the Rangers were gathered. The Rangers quickly jumped into their Zords, determined to win.

"OOH!" the giant Clingy Star yelled as it approached the Thunderzords. "NEW TOYS TO CUDDLE!"

Cackling madly, the Clingy Star shot forked red bolts at the Dragon, Unicorn, Griffin, Firebird, and White Tigerzords and pulled them towards itself. All five of the Rangers immediately fell to the ground hard.

"I NEED TO SHINE UP MY NEW TOYS!" the Clingy Star yelled as it electrocuted the five Thunderzords.

* * *

"_Your heart will save you_," the soft voice suddenly echoed throughout the chamber as a Power Coin materialized in Malcolm's shaking hand.

Even though he was laying on the ground bruised and bleeding from the attacks that the Dark Rangers had administered, Malcolm stared at the Coin in his hand with wide eyes, "WHAT IS THIS?" Goldar suddenly howled. "The Black Power was destroyed and there are no more Coins!"

"_You know what to do," _a soft voice echoed throughout the chamber. "_If you wish the freedom to act, speak the desire now. If you lack the strength to speak, speak it in your mind and it shall happen."_

Ignoring the pain in his arms and chest, Malcolm lifted the Coin above his head and was shocked when light suddenly emanated from it, temporarily freezing the Dark Rangers in their current positions. Exhausted and in pain, Malcolm slowly sank to the ground semi-conscious.

Even with Malcolm barely coherent, the Coin was still active; it filled the chamber with light and finally teleported Malcolm from the dirt floor.

"NO!" Goldar yelled angrily, having seen the whole thing through the invisible windows. "HOW COULD THAT HAVE HAPPENED?"

* * *

_"…Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, I hope he forgives us for this,"_

_"…My instincts tell me that Malcolm will be confused at first, but will express gratitude through his actions…"_

Feeling something cold under his back, Malcolm slowly opened his eyes and saw a gold face hovering over him, "Don't be alarmed, Malcolm," Alpha quickly said, seeing the expression on his face. "You're in the Command Center and you were brought here because of your Power Coin."

Ignoring his sudden headache, Malcolm slowly sat up and his eyes locked on Zordon immediately, "I couldn't fight any of them because I didn't want to hurt them," he said in a groggy voice, suddenly realizing that he was still holding the Coin. "What is this thing in my hand?"

"It's a Power Coin," Alpha replied in as gentle a voice as he could muster in his state of shock. "How did you come to get one?"

Malcolm took a deep breath and suddenly winced; his injuries at the hands of the Dark Rangers were catching up with him and he had no choice but to hunch over to try and alleviate some of the pain, "Where am I?" he asked in a pain-filled voice. "Are you going to hurt me?"

"HELP!" several voices suddenly shouted, alarming Malcolm and causing him to sit up and gaze around at the consoles and back at Zordon.

Alpha whimpered and hurried over to the Viewing Globe, "Zordon, the Rangers are in trouble!" he shouted in a frantic voice.

Ignoring the pain radiating throughout his body, Malcolm slowly stood and limped over to the Viewing Globe. He looked into it and saw five large machines being surrounded by an electric forcefield while on the ground, a huge star shot lightning bolts at five people in uniforms.

"Those are the Power Rangers," Malcolm whispered, unsure of how he knew who they were so easily. "What's happening to them?"

Alpha flailed his arms in panic and hurried back towards the computer consoles, "Rita and Zedd's Clingy Star has trapped the Power Rangers' Zords in an electric forcefield," Zordon explained as Malcolm turned to face him. "The Rangers are powerless against the Star's attack."

"Wouldn't encasing that star in a block of ice make it useless?" Malcolm asked, remembering back to what he learned in science class.

Alpha thought for a moment and nodded, "It won't take long to create a cannon," he replied. "How are they going to get it, though?"

"I'll take the ice cannon to the Power Rangers," Malcolm replied in a faint voice even though he was in pain and feeling very weak.

Seeing that Malcolm was hurting, Alpha hurried over to him and helped him to sit on the cot, "You don't have the strength to take the weapon to the Rangers and get yourself out of danger," the robot said in a worried tone. "The Clingy Star would hurt you badly in your current state."

"I don't care," Malcolm replied in a toneless voice. "The Power Rangers are good and they need help. I'll help them even if it hurts me."

Zordon sighed, "You have great determination and courage, Malcolm," he said in a strong voice. "Raise that Power Coin above your head."

Swallowing hard, Malcolm raised the Coin above his head and silently prayed that his shaking arms and hands wouldn't drop it, "I am about to bestow on you a temporary power that will enable you to rescue the Power Rangers from their current predicament," Zordon said as light suddenly emanated from his tube. "Your recent experiences and your reactions to them have proven you worthy of this power."

Light filled the Command Center and when it faded, Malcolm found himself wearing in a black bodysuit similar to that of the other Power Rangers. The Coin was now on the chest of his uniform and had a Mastodon symbol on it. He looked up at Zordon questioningly.

"With the creation of this Power Coin, the Black Ranger powers have been restored to the Command Center," Zordon explained as Alpha hurried into a darker area of the Command Center. "The powers are only temporary, but they should last long enough for you to assist the Rangers in their trouble."

Alpha suddenly came running into the controls area with a machine resembling a grenade launcher in his robotic arms, "It's all I could put together in such a short time," he said as he offered the cannon to Malcolm. "It should be enough to free the Thunder Zords so that the Rangers can destroy the Star."

"Malcolm, holding this power includes the privilege of controlling the Lion Thunderzord," Zordon suddenly spoke up as Malcolm took the cannon in his hands. "It is there only if you need to use it."

Malcolm nodded, "I understand," he replied softly. "I will not tell the others who I am, right?"

"They will figure it out soon enough," Zordon replied. "For now, focus on what you need to do."

Alpha hurried over to the teleporter console, "I will teleport you to where the Rangers are," he said in a concerned, yet soothing voice. "Be careful to preserve your energy, as you are already very weak."

"I understand," Malcolm replied, hoping this contribution would be enough to help the Power Rangers.

Alpha sighed and teleported Malcolm from the Command Center in a flurry of black light.

* * *

"AH, A NEW PLAYER FOR MY GAME!" the Clingy Star yelled as Malcolm materialized in front of it.

Suddenly realizing that they were no longer alone, the five Rangers got to their feet and immediately were shocked at the figure in the Black Ranger uniform, "Is that Zack?" Trini asked in a quiet voice.

"It can't be," Billy replied in an uncertain voice as they watched stranger lift a large cannon towards the Clingy Star as it electrified the Zords. "Alpha and Zordon would have told us if Zack had come back."

Gritting his teeth, Malcolm pressed the firing mechanism and the Rangers watched as a ray of bluish-white light sped out of the cannon and hit the Clingy Star. A sudden block of ice formed around the Star, rendering it immobile and unable to speak. The electric field around the Zords quickly faded away.

The five Rangers wasted no time in returning to their Zords, "Mega Tigerzord!" Tommy yelled, uncertain if the Black Ranger could even summon a Zord. "Let's finish this star on ice off!"

Malcolm silently watched as the Thunder Zords combined and destroyed the Clingy Star with a simple swipe to the cube in which it was trapped. The Rangers then jumped out of their Zords and joined him on the ground as the Zords quickly returned to wherever their hiding places were.

Fortunately, before anyone could discern who the Black Ranger was, all six of the Rangers were teleported from the battle sight in beams of light. It was obvious that Zordon wanted to see them.

* * *

As the six Rangers materialized in the Command Center, Malcolm promptly collapsed to the floor; he was in so much pain, exhausted, and overheated from the heavy uniform. He promptly heard gasps.

"Jason, help me get his helmet off," Malcolm heard Billy say as hands touched either side of his helmet.

It was easy for Jason and Billy to remove the helmet, "Malcolm?" Jason asked, shocked that his battered cousin had been the one to don Ranger powers and rescue them. "I thought you had been captured!"

"I don't know how to explain it," Malcolm replied as Jason helped him to sit up. "Jason, is that you?"

Jason sighed and removed his helmet, prompting the others to quickly remove theirs, "I can't believe it," Malcolm said in a shocked voice as he gazed at Jason, Tommy, Kimberly, Billy, and Trini. "Wow."

"Did Alpha and Zordon make you a Power Ranger after they rescued you from Rita and Zedd?" Billy asked in an awed voice, wincing at the bruises and cuts on Malcolm's face. "You're hurt."

Alpha sighed and hurried over to Malcolm, "We have adequate medical care for you here," he said in a concerned tone as he helped the exhausted young man stand and walk over to the cot. "Just sit."

"While I was in isolation, the Dark Rangers visited me," Malcolm said as he lay down on the cot. "I was ready to use all my strength to fight them, but then I had a vision of who they all really are."

Resisting the urge to show anxiety, Alpha began to use simple disinfectant wipes to clean the cuts on Malcolm's face, "What do you mean, Malcolm?" Kimberly asked, confused. "Who are they?"

"They took their helmets off before I fought them," Malcolm replied as Alpha quickly bandaged the nasty gash across his forehead. "The Dark Rangers are Aisha, Rocky, Adam, Zack, and Skull. Their leader is a man named Zedison who is apparently the son of some monsters named Zedd and Rita."

Alpha gently cut off Malcolm's shirt, revealing bruises and burns on Malcolm's torso, "Zordon gave me enough powers to help you guys out," Malcolm said as Alpha retrieved some gel from a nearby cupboard and began applying it to the burns. "We have to save the five of them somehow."

"We need a plan before we go up against this Zedison," Tommy interjected as Alpha helped Malcolm to lie down for further examination and treatment. "Zordon, can you help us figure out a plan to rescue them?"

Zordon sighed, "It will require teamwork and sacrifice," he replied. "However, I believe there is a way."

* * *

_**May I please have some reviews?**_


	11. Rangers of an Extraordinary Nature

October came quickly and with it, talk of the arrival of delegates who would interview those who had signed up for interviews and then decide who to give the honor of attending the World Peace Conference in Switzerland; the conference wasn't happening until December, but the chosen students would have much to do beforehand in preparing what they would both contribute and learn from it.

Hundreds of students had signed up for interviews, all six of the Power Rangers among them; Malcolm had been the last of them to sign up for an interview and he had only done so with the encouragement of Jason, Tommy, and Dr. Oliver, all of whom invited him to show the potential that he had within.

Zack, Aisha, Skull, Rocky, and Adam had also signed up and had backed off considerably on picking on Malcolm because Zedd had ordered it and they wanted to look like good conference candidates.

Zedd and Rita had left the Earth alone since they had lost the Black Ranger Power and for that, Malcolm was grateful as using that power took a lot of his energy. He had hidden his concerns from the others and from both Zordon and Alpha because they had been so enthusiastic when he became a Ranger.

"You're looking a little pale, Malcolm," Dr. Oliver's voice suddenly broke in. "Are you all right today?"

Malcolm looked up from the fountain he had been getting a drink from and saw Dr. Oliver standing in the open doorway to the counseling office looking both concerned and amused, "You're running a bit late today, aren't you Malcolm?" Dr. Oliver asked in a gentle voice. "The bell rang five minutes ago."

"I know," Malcolm replied, deeply embarrassed about the fact that he felt terrible; he had suffered bad nightmares during the entire night and had slept through his alarm because he was so worn out.

Dr. Oliver nodded, "Bad dreams about the accident?" he asked in a gentle, yet prodding voice.

"Yeah," Malcolm replied in a sleepy voice as he dropped his backpack on the ground. "I feel so—"

Suddenly, Mr. Caplan came walking down the hallway at a fast walk, "Malcolm Lee Scott, you're just the person I want to see," he said in a stern voice. "Are you aware that the bell rang five minutes ago?"

"Mr. Caplan, it's my fault entirely," Dr. Oliver spoke up before Malcolm could think. "I had asked Malcolm to stop by my office before school today and time ran away from us. It's not his fault."

Mr. Caplan was silent for a moment and then nodded, "Very well, your tardiness can be excused this time," he replied in a calmer tone. "I was wondering, actually, if I could speak to Malcolm in private."

"Mr. Caplan, can Doctor Oliver sit in on the conversation too please?" Malcolm asked, very nervous that he had done something wrong. Fortunately, Mr. Caplan nodded and gestured into Dr. Oliver's office.

* * *

"…Attention students, please gather in the gym immediately," Mr. Caplan's voice sounded over the intercom as Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, and Tommy walked out of Ms. Appleby's classroom after they had finished a discussion on what peace meant to them. "This is a mandatory assembly…"

Jason and Kimberly suddenly looked very nervous, but said nothing, "I wonder if it's concerning the Peace Conference interviews that are coming up," Billy commented as he walked with his friends towards the gym, joining the crowd of students already heading there. "I heard that the teachers are encouraging talented students to put on demonstrations or displays for when the interviewers visit the school. I was only asked yesterday to demonstrate how the Science Club helps the school grow."

"Last week, I was asked to give the interviewers a tour of Angel Grove when they come to interview the students," Trini stated in an illustrious voice. "I was also asked to tell them about the school clubs."

As the five of them entered the gym, Jason spotted Malcolm and Rocky near the stage talking with an excited looking Mr. Caplan. Another man was also there, one who looked like he'd been through extreme shock and stress by how pale and beat up both he and his clothes looked.

Aisha, Zack, Skull, and Adam were all seated on the front row with Bulk sitting next to Skull and looking very afraid of Aisha, Zack, and Adam. They, however, made no move to harm him and even gave Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, and Trini friendly looks of acknowledgement as they moved up the bleachers.

Soon enough, all the students and teachers were in the gym and Mr. Caplan approached the microphone stand, "Good morning, students and staff of Angel Grove High School," he said in a pleasant voice as he eyed the students to ensure that all were behaving. "As you know, Angel Grove High will be hosting interviewers in a matter of days for the World Peace Conference in Switzerland that will take place in December. During the time in which the interviewers are here, I would expect that all of you would be on your best behavior and take the opportunity to show the best about our school to them."

This long speech, of course, was greeted with silence and Mr. Caplan gave everyone a stern look to remind them to pay attention, "I would like to now introduce a special guest who will be on hand during the time when the interviewers are here," he said in a formal tone. "This is Mr. Anderson, a teacher at Stone Canyon High School and former principal of the Crystal Valley High School. Now, Mr. Anderson, the floor is yours…"

"Hello students," Mr. Anderson said in a gentle voice as he stepped up to the microphone. "I'd like to first thank you for inviting me to your school. Secondly, with the interviewers for the World Peace Conference coming to Angel Grove High School, Mr. Caplan has graciously invited me to organize martial arts demonstrations to show the interviewers; Jason Lee Scott and Tommy Oliver will do one of the demonstrations and the second demonstration will be a full match between the Crystal Valley champion, Malcolm Lee Scott, and the former Stone Canyon High School champ, Rocky DeSantos."

Jason's eyes widened and he looked at Malcolm, who looked expressionless and was trying to hide the fact that he was scared to death about the match, "Wow, when were you going to tell me that we were doing a demonstration?" Tommy whispered as he watched Malcolm and Rocky shake hands.

* * *

"Mother, the Dark Red Ranger will be fighting Malcolm in a matter of days," Zedison spoke as he looked through the telescope at the assembly. "I suggest that we retrieve him and give him some power."

From her throne, Rita groaned and tried to shake the headache that was making it very difficult to concentrate, "We cannot interfere with Rocky's abilities," Zedd hissed from his throne. "We can only wear Malcolm down enough that he cannot use his own abilities to complete the demonstration."

"Father, I wish to fight Malcolm again," Zedison said in a deep voice. "Without any power or weapons."

Zedd cackled, "You will get that chance, my son," he said in an amused voice. "I promise you that."

* * *

"Jason?"

Long after the other students had left the gym to return to classes, Jason had lingered to wait for Malcolm to finish talking with Mr. Anderson because Rocky had also lingered nearby with Aisha, Adam, Zack, and Skull. Jason didn't want them ganging up on Malcolm when he was without any help.

"Jason?"

Suddenly recognizing Aisha's voice, Jason walked over to where Aisha, Zack, Adam, and Skull were standing in a group, "Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" she asked, ignoring the disgusted looks she was getting from Zack, Adam, and Skull as she moved away from them. "I'd like to apologize to you for the way I've treated Malcolm ever since I came to Angel Grove High; I didn't mean to act like that."

"You should talk to Malcolm," Jason replied even though he was smiling. "He'd appreciate it, I'm sure."

Aisha nodded and looked over to where Mr. Anderson and Rocky were talking. Before she or Jason could say anything, Dr. Oliver walked into the gym and over to where Malcolm and Mr. Anderson were.

"Aisha, we need to go," Rocky suddenly said, walking over to Aisha and Jason. "We have to go to class."

Suddenly feeling uneasy about trusting any more of Rita and Zedd's ideas, Aisha shook her head and stepped away, "I'm not going anywhere with you, Adam, or Zack," she said in a nervous voice.

"Whatever," Rocky replied in a disgusted voice as he backed away from the two. "I'll have my way."

Aisha glared daggers at him, "I no longer serve Zedd or Rita," she said in a nervous, but firm voice.

Suddenly, everything in the room froze and Goldar appeared, "Queen Rita has invited you all to a special match in the Dark Dimension between her Dark Rangers and the Power Rangers," he said in a menacing voice as he looked over at where Malcolm was standing. "Specifically, one Ranger versus another."

"Will you leave my friends out of it if I come willingly?" Malcolm asked, deeply concerned about the frozen Dr. Oliver and Mr. Anderson. "If I fight, will you agree that my friends won't have to fight?"

Goldar nodded and the Angel Grove High School gymnasium suddenly faded into the deplorable view of the Dark Dimension. Dr. Oliver and Mr. Anderson were on a caged platform, but looked unharmed.

Jason, Malcolm, and Aisha found themselves at one end of the room while Goldar stood at the other end of the room with Rocky, Adam, Skull, and the Black Knight. Zedd suddenly appeared out of thin air.

"Welcome back to the Dark Dimension, Black Ranger Malcolm," Zedd said in a menacing voice. "Since Aisha has chosen to rebel against me, I have arranged for you to fight for the freedom of your friends versus the remainder of your Black Power. If you lose, you surrender your power to me, mortal."

Malcolm sighed, but said nothing, "However, I will make things easier on you since you came so willingly," Zedd said in a calmer voice. "You will be allowed to save two people and send them back to Earth with no memory of their time here. "The others will be forced to stay and watch you fight."

"I'm sorry Jason, but I have to think of the innocent civilians," Malcolm said without even a moment of hesitation. "I choose to send Mr. Anderson and Doctor Oliver back to Angel Grove High School."

Zedd nodded and with a wave of his staff, Mr. Anderson and Dr. Oliver vanished into thin air. Malcolm reached for his Morpher, but Zedd shook his head, "No power and no weapons for this fight," Zedd said in a gruff voice. "You may give it to one of your friends providing that they do not use it."

Malcolm quickly handed his communicator and Morpher to Jason, "Take Aisha back to the Command Center," he whispered in a faint voice. "Get Zordon to gather the other Rangers together."

"NO TALKING!" Zedd roared as Jason pocketed the items. "Come and show your strength, boy."

As Malcolm stepped forward, Jason quickly activated the teleportation mechanism on the communicator and grabbed Aisha's hand. Zedd roared angrily as Jason and Aisha vanished.

* * *

Having been summoned from the school after sneaking out of their class one at a time under the pretense of needing to use the bathroom, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, and Tommy materialized in the Command Center and saw Jason standing in front of Zordon's tube with a confused Aisha.

"Aisha?" Kimberly asked, confused to see Aisha there. "Jason, what's Aisha doing here?"

Alpha suddenly came out of the shadows, "Rangers, you are needed in the Dark Dimension immediately, but you cannot Morph," he said in an anxious voice. "Take a look at the fight with the Viewing Globe."

Jason, Aisha, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, and Tommy gathered around the Viewing Globe and were all horrified to see Malcolm and Zedison in hand-to-hand combat while Zedd, Goldar, Adam, Zack, and Rocky watched from the sidelines. Alpha whimpered as he came over to the group and held out his hands.

"I may be able to get passage for one of you using the Black Power Coin," Alpha said in a nervous voice as he looked at Jason. "Due to Zedd's interference, the one who goes will not be able to morph or assist Malcolm in any way. There is a way to solve the problem, but the solution will not be an easy one."

Jason immediately looked towards Zordon, "I'll go," he volunteered. "Malcolm's my family after all."

"Zordon, if we combine all of our Power Coins, could we all go to the Dark Dimension?" Billy asked in a curious voice. "We have to think about Adam, Zack, and Rocky as well, since they are in trouble."

Zordon was silent for a moment, "If you all go to the Dark Dimension, you all risk losing your powers," he said in a grave tone. "However, if you are willing to take the risk to save others, I will assist you all."

"Aisha, you had better stay here," Jason said in a concerned voice. "You'll be safer here…"

Suddenly, Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Tommy, Billy, and Aisha vanished from the Command Centre much to Alpha and Zordon's horror. A moment later, the entire Command Center went completely dark.

* * *

"Welcome to the fight of the century, Rangers," Zedd said in an amused voice as the six materialized outside the ring where an exhausted Malcolm was trying to use what physical strength he had to fight off the stronger and more skilled Zedison. "This is the price that is paid for Aisha's betrayal."

Malcolm suddenly gasped and winced as Zedison drop-kicked him in the chest, "The Black Power Ranger is becoming weak, Father," Zedison said in a menacing voice. "Shall the other engage in combat yet?"

"One on one, with their counterparts," Zedd replied in an amused voice. "No power, no weapons."

Goldar cackled, "I will take the White Ranger on myself," he said in an amused voice. "Alone."

"Before the battles begin, I wish to reveal my true self," Zedison spoke as he removed his head covering and gazed at Malcolm, his doppelganger. The others looked shocked that Zedison was identical to Malcolm and all of them exchanged concerned looks. Malcolm, however, retained fighting stance.

Malcolm then looked at the Rangers and Jason could see that his cousin's strength was quickly dissipating, "If you can contact Zordon and escape, I want you to do it," he said in a faint voice. "You guys don't need to be here and I don't want any harm to come to anyone else because of Zedd."

The ground suddenly began to shake uncontrollably, knocking Zedd and Zedison off balance, "_Noble Malcolm, your selflessness will be rewarded and your desire will be granted," _a deep, Zordon-like voice suddenly said as a golden sword appeared in Malcolm's hand. _However, it will take a great sacrifice."_

"I SAID NO WEAPONS!" Zedd roared as he jumped into th_e _ring where Zedison and Malcolm were standing. Zedison had regained his footing but found himself unable to touch the sword Malcolm held.

Malcolm was silent for a moment and then swiftly smashed the sword into Zedd's staff, breaking it in half and causing a huge light to fill the Dark Dimension.

When the light faded, Jason saw that Zedd, Zedison, and Goldar were all gone; Adam, Aisha, Rocky, Zack, and Skull were all looking around with frightened and confused looks on their faces.

Malcolm was standing nearby, gazing at the large sword and at the pieces of Zedd's staff that lay on the floor now devoid of any power. Suddenly, he fainted.

"What are we doing here?" Zack asked in a nervous voice, suddenly noticing the other Rangers, Adam, Aisha, Rocky, and Skull were also there. "Last thing I remember is being at the park in Angel Grove."

Kimberly ignored Zack's comment and hurried over to where Malcolm lay with his left hand still gripping the sword, "Malcolm?" she asked, kneeling down to see if her friend was okay. "He's barely breathing."

Before anyone else could comment, Morphers suddenly appeared in Jason's, Kimberly's, Trini's, Billy's, and Tommy's hands, "Rangers, I sense you are in danger," Zordon's voice suddenly filtered out of Jason's communicator. "Do you need emergency teleport from your current location?"

"You guys are the Power Rangers?" Rocky asked in an awed voice, his attention suddenly turning to Kimberly, who was now kneeling next to Malcolm. "Is Malcolm a Power Ranger too? Is he okay?"

Without warning, all six of the Rangers, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Skull vanished from the chamber.

* * *

"How could that have happened, Father?" Zedison asked as he and Zedd appeared back beside the thrones at the Moon Palace. "I have never known the Rangers to possess that kind of power."

Zedd grunted and looked at Rita, "With my power nearly gone, I must travel into space to find a power that the Power Rangers will not be able to defeat," he said in a menacing voice. "You and Zedison must enlist the help of Goldar and Finster to keep monsters terrorizing Angel Grove while I am away."

"Father, if the Rangers have that kind of Power as we saw, nothing will be able to defeat them," Zedison said in a concerned voice. "What if you cannot find the power you seek and cannot come back here?"

Zedd was silent for a moment and then let out an unusually patient sigh, "Then it will fall to you to find a way to defeat the Power Rangers," he said in a gruff voice. "You are my heir to all evil that is ours."

Rita whimpered and quickly kissed Zedd before turning away to nurse her sudden headache. Zedd turned away and quietly left the palace before he allowed anyone else to protest his sudden departure.

* * *

Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, Tommy, Aisha, Zack, Rocky, and Adam materialized in the Command Center with Jason and Tommy holding a barely conscious Malcolm up while Billy held the sword in his hand.

"Ai, yi, yi, yi, yi!" Alpha exclaimed as he saw Malcolm's condition. "Jason, Tommy, bring him over to the bed here and I will see what damage was done. Zordon, wake up! The Rangers need our help!"

As Jason and Tommy carried Malcolm over to the bed and laid him down, Billy turned to Zordon with a worried expression on her face, "Zordon, what happened to Skull?" he asked. "Was he left behind?"

"Skull is safe in Angel Grove with no memory of what has happened," Zordon replied. "Alpha, take that sword to the lab for analysis. Rangers, I need you all to morph and gather around Malcolm right now."

Jason looked at the Mastodon Coin and Black Morpher in his hand, "Put the Mastodon coin in Malcolm's hand and it will benefit the process greatly," Zordon said as if reading Jason's thoughts. "Do it quickly."

Jason quickly put the items in Malcolm's hands and morphed into the Red Ranger suit. He looked at the others and saw that they had also morphed; Aisha, Zack, Rocky, and Adam looked surprised at that.

"Rangers, Malcolm's condition is very serious because he used what energy he had to summon that sword and destroy Lord Zedd's power source," Zordon explained in a grave voice as Alpha took the sword from Billy and hurried off to the lab with it. "The destruction of Zedd's staff broke the spell that made Aisha, Zack, Rocky, Adam, and Skull Dark Rangers. It also took Malcolm's life energy, however."

Aisha, Zack, Rocky, and Adam suddenly looked very sick to their stomachs, "Because of what we did and Zedd's power, Malcolm might die?" Adam asked in a worried voice. "Is there any way to save him?"

"Yes," Tommy suddenly replied, suddenly understanding what Zordon was telling them. "Jason, stand at the head of the bed and I'll stand to your left. Kimberly, stand at Jason's right and Trini, stand next to Kimberly. Billy, stand next to Trini and all of us need to join hands and think about peace very, very hard.

Even though they were confused by Tommy's instructions, Jason, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy gathered around the bed and joined hands, thinking only of peace. Adam, Aisha, Rocky, and Zack watched with astonishment as lights emanated from the Power Coins and shot into Malcolm's very still form.

There was silence and the Rangers dropped their hands and removed their helmets just in time to see Malcolm's eyes slowly open, "What happened?" he asked in a faint voice as he suddenly saw the other Rangers in a circle surrounding him. "Am I in the Command Center? I remember hitting Zedd's staff…"

"Although Lord Zedd's power is gone, it does not mean that Zedd and Rita are destroyed," Zordon suddenly spoke in a grave tone. "However, the Black Power is no longer in danger of Rita's control."

Malcolm sighed, "Jason, I'm really tired," he said in a faint voice. "Is it okay if I rest here for a bit?"

"Alpha, see to Malcolm," Zordon cut in. "Rangers, please come here with your new and old friends."

Quickly turning his attention to the supply cupboard near the bed, Alpha tended to the very weak Malcolm. Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, Tommy, Zack, Aisha, Rocky, and Adam walked over to the tube where Zordon waited. Aisha, Rocky, and Adam looked astonished while Zack looked rather guilty.

"Since you know of the identities of the Power Rangers, you must now agree to a simple rule," Zordon said in a calmer tone. "You must never reveal the identities of the Rangers under any circumstance."

Aisha, Rocky, and Adam joined hands, "We promise," they said together. Zack, however, frowned.

"How can I be forgiven for the way I've acted?" Zack asked in a sorrowful voice. "I don't deserve to be."

Tommy gave Zack a look, "You were under Rita's spell, just like I was," he said in a compassionate voice as he smiled at his former teammate. "You can't be held responsible for what you had no control over."

"Zordon, I would like Malcolm to keep the Black Power Coin," Zack replied as he gazed over to where Malcolm was being taken care of by Alpha. "Even though I'm okay, I don't feel worthy of the Power even if you want me to have it."

Having overheard Zack, Malcolm slowly got up off the bed and came over to the group with Alpha's help, "The Power Rangers need all of their members strong so they can protect the Earth," he said in a faint voice. "I am not strong right now."

"Malcolm, your strength will eventually return and for now, you will retain the power that you rightfully earned," Zordon replied in a gentle voice. "Zack, you have served well and will be given another chance to defend peace on the Earth in another way. For now, focus on helping your friends retain a peaceful environment with friendship."

Malcolm sighed and Jason quickly hurried to his cousin's side. Alpha hurried over to the console that would teleport everyone back to places in Angel Grove where they would be safe, "Time has resumed its normal course with everyone having no memory of anything out of the ordinary. Nobody is aware that you went missing."

"I think I can convince my mom and dad that you came down with the flu at school and that you should rest at home for a few days," Jason said in a concerned voice, knowing that only rest, proper food, and time would help Malcolm get his strength back. "They won't let me miss school, but you should take a few days to rest."

Too tired to argue, Malcolm was silent and watched as Alpha worked the controls. A moment later, the group vanished in swirls of light, leaving Alpha alone in the Command Centre with only Zordon for company.

"Alpha, now that the Rangers are safe, return to analyzing the sword," Zordon ordered in a firm voice. "I do not know what power brought the sword to Malcolm's aid, but we must see if it can help the Rangers in the future."


	12. Dangers of Change

"Welcome back, Malcolm," Ms. Appleby said as Malcolm and Jason entered her classroom a few days later both in jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers. Malcolm smiled and took his backpack from Jason's hands.

Malcolm nodded, "I'm sorry that I wasn't here to present my paper on the importance of peace to how we live our lives," he replied in a regretful tone. "I worked on it while I was home sick, though."

"Well, our class is shorter today because of the interviews for the Peace Conference," Ms. Appleby said in a gentle voice, knowing that she had only a short video on peace to entertain the class. "Why don't you take your seat and after I take attendance, you can present your paper to the class?"

Malcolm nodded and silently went to his desk. He sat down and quickly got the duotang out of his backpack that contained the paper he had worked very hard on just as Aisha, Rocky, Adam, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, Tommy, and Zack came into the classroom all dressed in their best outfits. They all smiled at Ms. Appleby as they quickly took their seats.

A moment later, Bulk and Skull entered the room, but Skull said nothing and merely went to his seat; he looked slightly drained and confused, but rather healthy.

A few more students came in just as the bell rang, "Good morning, class," Ms. Appleby said in a gentle voice as she closed the door and quickly took attendance. "Since our class will be short this morning because of the interviews and the demonstrations today, Malcolm Lee Scott will present his paper on the importance of peace to our lives. Malcolm, do you feel up to standing before the class?"

"Yes ma'am," Malcolm replied as he slowly got up from his desk and carried his duotang to the front of the room and opened it. He pulled out a small framed picture and set it on Ms. Appleby's desk for everyone to look at; it was a photo of him with his parents in front of the Crystal Valley dojo. "When I first thought of this paper, I couldn't help but think of my parents and their desire to teach me how to resolve situations peacefully. Because I used to solve situations with fighting, my father taught me about martial arts and also about how words can solve troublesome situations better than fighting."

For a moment, Malcolm was silent and Jason was worried that sharing the things that his parents had retrieved from Crystal Valley had been a bad idea, "Although my parents are no longer alive, I intend on maintaining the values of peacekeeping they taught me by using them on a daily basis," Malcolm said in a solemn, yet clear voice. "The martial arts demonstration Rocky and I are putting on this afternoon is merely to show how peace can be achieved if people with common interests work together. I agreed to the demonstration because my parents would not want me to waste my gifts; they would want me engaging in activities that promote unity and peace. To me, peace means creating unity based on common goals and preserving it in ways that will better humankind as we know it. Thank you."

"Very nice, Malcolm," Ms. Appleby said in a pleasant voice as the class clapped. "I am very much looking forward to the demonstrations you, Rocky, Jason, and Tommy are putting on for both the school and the interviewers this afternoon. While we're on the subject, is anyone else putting on a display this week?"

The entire class raised their hands, "While all of you are eager to show the best of Angel Grove High to the interviewers, I also remind you that it is important for ALL of you to be on your best behavior," Ms. Appleby said as she glared at Bulk and Skull. "Does anyone else have anything to share?"

Skull nodded and raised his hand as he reached into his backpack and pulled out a binder filled with papers, "Can I turn in some homework even though it's overdue?" he asked in a nervous voice, ignoring the shocked looks he was getting from the rest of the class. "I've been kind of sick lately and I couldn't do a whole lot except rest in bed. Anyway, could I hand it in and maybe get a passing grade?"

At a loss for words, Ms. Appleby walked over to Skull's desk and took the binder from his hand, "I'll look this over and let you know in a few days," she said as she tucked the binder under her arm. "Well, since nobody has anything else to share, we're going to watch a video about ways to promote peace."

As Ms. Appleby returned to the front of the room, Malcolm placed his duotang on the teacher's desk, picked up his picture, and quietly returned to his seat to conserve his energy. Jason exchanged a quick look with Kimberly, Billy, Trini, and Tommy; obviously Skull had also been affected by Zedd's spell.

* * *

"...Will Jason Lee Scott, Trini Kwan, Kimberly Hart, Billy Cranston, Zack Taylor, Eugene Skullovitch, and Adam Park please report to the office for their interviews?" a brisk voice said over the intercom.

As Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, and Zack left the gym, Tommy turned his attention to Rocky, who was wearing a black karate gi complete with a black belt, "Didn't you and Aisha sign up to be interviewed for the Peace Conference?" he asked, seeing the nervousness on Rocky's face.

"Aisha and I got here early this morning and Mr. Caplan let us have our interviews before school started," Rocky replied as he looked over to where the custodial staff was setting up a ring of mats for the martial arts demonstrations that would take place after the lunch hour ended. "I ate my lunch about ten minutes ago and decided to get changed since our demonstration is first this afternoon."

Tommy nodded and sighed, "I should probably get changed so that I can do proper warm-ups when Jason gets done with his interview," he replied. "I had my interview in second period, but I'm not sure that I'm what they're looking for. They said that they need delegates with a form of stability."

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that," Rocky replied in a mournful tone. "Who are you living with anyway?"

Tommy sighed, "My parents sent me to Angel Grove to live with my uncle about a year ago to get me away from their troubled marriage," he replied softly. "My Uncle Frank is actually the counselor at Angel Grove High and I talk with him sometimes when I've had a bad day or when I feel overwhelmed."

"I don't think I could talk to any counselors about what I went through while I was a prisoner of Lord Zedd and that freaky witch, Rita," Rocky replied quietly. "I wouldn't want to break my promise."

Nodding, Tommy suddenly frowned and sighed, "I'm not going to go into details, but you might want to talk to Malcolm about that," he replied in a quiet voice. "Hey, where is Malcolm at, anyway?"

"Some guy came by at the beginning of lunch hour and he's in the locker room with Malcolm right now," Rocky said in a concerned voice. "He's been gone for a while, though. Maybe we should check on him?"

Tommy nodded and followed Rocky towards the boys' locker room; hopefully, Malcolm was okay.

* * *

"Uncle Thomas, you didn't have to buy me anything," Malcolm said as he took the box from Thomas, who was smiling despite the uncomfortable suit he was wearing. "It's only going to be a simple match."

Thomas chuckled and crossed his arms, "I didn't buy it," he replied in a gentle voice. "It was the martial arts outfit that your father wore when he was the age you are now. It's the first time you're engaging in something to do with martial arts since your parents passed away and I thought this would give you the confidence you need to do your best. Your father would be very proud of you if he were here today."

"Thanks," Malcolm replied tonelessly, suddenly unable to control the sorrow he was feeling over missing his parents and the way they died. Tears suddenly escaped his eyes and he quickly turned away.

Thomas watched him silently for a moment and then gently pulled Malcolm into a hug, "I guess having the flu made me a little more emotional than I used to be," Malcolm commented as they pulled apart and he saw Tommy and Rocky enter the room. "I never, ever used to cry about anything at all."

"Uh, did we interrupt something?" Rocky asked, unaware of who the bigger man was.

Tommy, however, smiled, "Hi Mr. Lee Scott, how are you?" he asked kindly, smiling at Thomas.

"I'm fine, Tommy," Thomas replied, smiling at Tommy. "I just came by to visit Malcolm before…"

Rocky suddenly looked embarrassed, "You're Malcolm's uncle and Jason's dad?" he asked.

"Yes," Thomas replied in an amused voice. "I brought Malcolm a uniform to wear this afternoon."

Tommy suddenly looked intrigued, "Go ahead and see if it fits you," Thomas said in an encouraging voice, pleased that Malcolm liked the gift. "You are a Lee Scott and you deserve to wear it."

Nodding, Malcolm silently carried the box into the changing area, "Poor kid seems so nervous about today," Thomas commented in a sympathetic voice. "He'll be okay, though; he's much like his father."

There was an awkward silence and Rocky coughed, "I hope Malcolm knows that I didn't mean to tease him so much when I first transferred here," he said in an apologetic voice. "I didn't know about…"

"Rocky, would you please not bring that up again?" Malcolm's voice filtered out of a cubicle.

The cubicle door opened and a moment later, Malcolm came into the common area wearing a black karate gi and a black belt tied around his waist. The collar of the karate gi had special symbols on it.

"You remind me so much of your father when he was your age," Thomas commented, fighting back emotion at seeing Malcolm wearing his brother's karate outfit. "Did you have something to eat?"

Malcolm nodded, "Ms. Appleby's class was short, so I grabbed something from the cafeteria about an hour ago," he replied softly. "After the match, I might go to the Youth Center and see if Ernie needs any help doing anything. I've been thinking about it and maybe I should get an after school job."

"What if you get selected to go to the Peace Conference?" Rocky asked. "I know you signed up for an interview and Jason did too. If you go to Switzerland, how can you get a job in Angel Grove?"

The calm look on Malcolm's face suddenly melted into a frown, "I won't be going to Switzerland and I don't even have a shot at it anymore," he replied in a solemn voice as he looked at the floor. "The interviewers were given information about the students who signed up to help them decide who would be best at attending the Peace Conference. When they read the information on me, I guess the fact that I was recently orphaned because of a car crash disturbed them and I got a letter from them about their concerns while I was out sick; they thanked me for my interest, but had to refuse me an interview."

Thomas looked disgusted at hearing that, but Malcolm spoke before anyone else could, "If you guys could just keep this a secret from Jason, I'd appreciate it," he said in a soft voice. "He's in his interview right now and I want him to stay focused. I just want to get through the demonstration this afternoon."

"We should warm up," Rocky suddenly said, knowing that Malcolm wouldn't want to dwell on the negative because it would take away from the match. "Tommy, would you come and spot us?"

Tommy nodded and Thomas followed after the three boys out of the quiet locker room to watch them.

* * *

"I can't believe those Power Rangers and their love for peace!" Rita yelled, disgusted by the scene she had just witnessed in her telescope. "I should send some Putties down to disrupt their match!"

Suddenly, there was a loud boom, "Mother, those incompetent servants of yours have damaged the monsters Finister created just the other day," Zedison said as he came storming into the throne room holding a trembling Finster by one of his large ears. "We only have Putties at our disposal right now."

"Zedison, I want you to disguise yourself as a teenager and stalk that pesky Black Ranger," Rita said in a menacing voice as she turned to face her son. "The rest of the Power Rangers are all excited about that Peace Conference and the Black Ranger wasn't even invited to try for it. He will want to be alone."

Zedison nodded and quickly transformed into a tall, thin young man that was dressed in black sweats, black boots, and a black sweatshirt who had glasses and slicked back hair. Rita nodded approvingly.

"I will join you when you have cornered Malcolm," Rita said menacingly. "Now get out of here!"

Zedison bowed, released Finster's ear, and swiftly walked out of the room to head to the Earth.

* * *

"…How's the match going?" Jason asked as he climbed the crowded bleachers and took an empty seat next to where Billy, Kimberly, Tommy, Adam, and Aisha were sitting. "The interview took a really long time and the interviewers were impressed with everything I had to say. They made me a finalist and want me to come to this class that they're holding for interview finalists in about an hour."

Tommy frowned, "It's almost time for the last bell to ring," he replied in a hushed voice, as he didn't want to distract Malcolm and Rocky from their match. "What about our demonstration, Jason?"

"Oh, Mr. Caplan called it off because of how long Malcolm and Rocky's match is taking," Jason replied in a cheerful voice. "Apparently, the whole school is enjoying this more than they would enjoy a demo."

Kimberly frowned and looked past Jason, "Where are Trini and Zack at?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"They're still being interviewed," Jason replied, unaware that a disguised Zedison had just entered the gym and was watching the match from near the gym door. "I think they'll be made finalists too."

Suddenly, a whistle sounded and Jason turned his attention back to the mats just in time to see a tired looking Malcolm and Rocky bow to Mr. Anderson and to each other. Loud applause filled the gym.

"Atta boy, Malcolm!" Jason heard his father shout in an excited voice. "You have the Lee Scott spirit!"

As the dismissal bell rang, Jason stood and hurried down the bleachers over to where Malcolm was, "Malcolm, Dad, I have a meeting in an hour," he said in an excited voice. "I was made a finalist."

"That's cool," Malcolm replied softly. "I'm going over to the Juice Bar to see if I can help Ernie with the after school rush today. You mentioned the other day that it gets kind of busy so I'm going to help him."

Having overheard Malcolm's last comment, Thomas smiled as he and Helen came over to the boys, "I suppose that's all right as long as you find time to do your homework," he said in a gentle voice.

"Cool, thank you," Malcolm replied in a nervous voice, smiling at them before hurrying out of the gym.

Thomas and Helen exchanged a look, "After I'm done at the meeting, why don't we go by the Youth Center, pick up Malcolm, and go to dinner as a family?" Jason suggested. "It's Friday, after all."

Jason's parents nodded and smiled as Jason waved to Kim and Tommy, who descended the bleachers and left together. Jason then smiled at Billy, Aisha, and Adam before turning back to his parents. He was unaware that the disguised Zedison had left the gym right behind Malcolm, determined to trap him.

* * *

_Angel Grove will soon be cold._ Malcolm thought as he walked across the sand towards the rocks that people often sat on when they came to the beach and didn't swim. _I wonder if it will snow THIS year._

As he took a seat on the rock closest to him, Malcolm zipped up the jacket that Jason had given him to wear that he had gotten from his locker before escaping the school to be alone with his thoughts. He would no doubt get into trouble later for lying about his whereabouts, but that didn't matter now.

"All alone with nowhere to run," a dark voice suddenly said, causing Malcolm to get to his feet and turn around. He saw a young man with glasses there and was horrified when Zedison suddenly appeared.

Zedison cackled, "Where are your little Power Ranger friends, Malcolm?" he asked menacingly.

Malcolm said nothing and immediately reached for his Morpher, which was hidden under the sleeve of his jacket on his left wrist. However, as he pushed his sleeve up, he was suddenly knocked to the ground by a large staff. The Morpher flew off his wrist and landed in the sand near Zedison's black shoed feet.

"Did you think it was going to be that EASY?!" Rita cackled as Malcolm winced and looked up at her.

Placing a hand on his chest, Malcolm slowly got to his feet and faced both Rita and Zedison. Rita cackled, waved her staff, and six Putties promptly appeared. Zedison picked up the Morpher and chuckled softly.

* * *

**Can I please have some thoughts on how y'all like the story?**


	13. Catalyst of Secrets

"I can't believe it's getting cold," Kim commented as she and Tommy walked on to the beach hand-in-hand and sat down on the dry sand. "Wouldn't it be cool if we actually got some snow this year?"

Tommy chuckled and gazed out at the lake, "You know, there's one good thing about not being chosen as a finalist for the interviews," he replied in an amused voice. "I won't have to leave you or the others."

"I would miss you too much," Kim replied as she leaned against Tommy. "You're everything to me."

For a few moments, Tommy and Kimberly sat in silence as they gazed out at the lake and reflected on how much they meant to each other. Suddenly, a loud, very familiar cackle broke the lingering silence.

Alarmed and curious about what Rita was doing there, Tommy and Kimberly quickly got up and ran down the beach in the direction the cackle had come from. They suddenly saw Rita and Zedison standing on the rocks, watching and cackling as a tired Malcolm faced six Putties by himself.

"Why doesn't Malcolm morph?" Kimberly asked in a worried voice. "Morphing would help him."

Tommy was silent for a moment and suddenly noticed that Zedison was holding Malcolm's Morpher in his hand, cackling gleefully as the Putties knocked Malcolm around effortlessly, "Zedison has Malcolm's Morpher, that's why," Tommy replied as he held out his Morpher. "It's Morphin Time!"

"White Tigerzord!" Tommy yelled, immediately attracting the attention of both Rita and Zedison.

Silently hoping that the battle wouldn't get worse, Kimberly quickly pulled out her Morpher, "Pterodactyl!" she yelled, relieved when she quickly morphed into her pink uniform.

Rita cursed as Tommy and Kimberly advanced on the Putties, "THESE RANGERS ARE GIVING ME A HEADACHE!" she yelled in an angry voice as she waved her wand and knocked Malcolm to the sand.

Now enraged by Rita and Zedison's flippant desire to cause trouble, Tommy and Kimberly made quick work of all six Putties. Rita moaned and promptly vanished into thin air; Zedison quickly followed her.

Tommy and Kimberly quickly de-morphed and ran over to where Malcolm lay, "My Morpher," Malcolm said in a pained voice as he slowly sat up with a hand on his ribs. "Did Zedison and Rita take it?"

"No, it's right here," Kimberly said as she hurried over to where the Morpher lay and picked it up.

Tommy knelt down beside Malcolm, "We should get you to the Command Center right away," he said in a concerned voice, seeing that Malcolm had suffered injuries. "Alpha can patch you up quickly."

"Then Zordon will tell Jason I got into trouble," Malcolm replied crossly. "Jason's so excited about being chosen as a finalist for the Peace Conference. I'd rather not tell Jason or Zordon right now, okay?"

Kim sighed and handed Malcolm his Morpher, "We could take you to the emergency room," she offered in a kind voice as she and Tommy helped him to his feet. "Nobody would know you were there."

"Kim, when I got back to my aunt and uncle's place with bandages, they would find out that I lied," Malcolm replied in a distressed voice. "They would also tell Jason that I need his protection."

Tommy sighed, "We could contact my uncle to give us a ride to the emergency room in Stone Canyon where nobody knows you," he offered. "While you're being looked after, I can phone your parents and ask them if we can spend the weekend hanging out at my uncle's cabin so you can heal up a bit."

"That sounds great," Kimberly commented, suddenly cut off by the ringing of her cell-phone.

Tommy and Malcolm watched as Kimberly pulled her cell-phone out of her pants pocket and put it up to her ear with a scowl on her face, "Kimberly Hart," she said in a cheery voice. "Oh, hi Mom..."

As she listened to what her mother had to say, Kimberly sighed, "…Okay, Mom," she said in a resigned voice as she gave both boys an apologetic look. "…I'll see you at home in a bit. I love you too, bye."

"My mom wants me to come home so that we can spend some time together," Kim said as she returned the phone to her pocket. "Stone Canyon seems a bit far for you guys to go, Tommy; it really does."

Realizing that not only was Kimberly right, but that his uncle would ask why they wanted to go to Stone Canyon when there was a hospital in Angel Grove, Tommy sighed and nodded, "You're right," he replied, giving Kimberly a reassuring smile. "I'll call my uncle to come pick us up from here. We can drop you off at your house on the way to the hospital, Kim."

* * *

"Goodness, it's quiet in here today," Helen said as she and Thomas entered the Youth Center and saw only a few people there; Ernie was at the food counter and two boys were sparring on the mats.

Thomas smiled and walked over to the counter, "Ernie, where's Malcolm at?" he asked kindly.

"I don't know," Ernie replied in a cheerful voice. "He usually comes here with Jason after school."

Overhearing Ernie's comment, Helen hurried over to the counter, "I don't understand," she said in a concerned voice. "Malcolm said he was coming here to help you with the after school rush today."

"With those interviews for the Peace Conference going on, it's been kind of slow in here," Ernie commented in a kind voice. "If Malcolm's looking for some sort of a job, he can come talk to me."

Thomas turned his attention to the boys on the mat and immediately recognized Rocky, "Rocky, how are you doing?" he asked, walking over to the mats. "I was wondering if you've seen Malcolm recently."

"Not since after the match when he left the gym," Rocky replied, frowning. "Isn't he with Jason usually?"

Thomas shook his head, "Jason was made a finalist and has a meeting today," he replied, now very concerned about where Malcolm could be and why he lied. "He wanted us to meet him here later."

"Adam and I will keep an eye out for him," Rocky promised, gesturing to the other young man.

Helen looked at Ernie, "Why would Malcolm lie about where he was going?" she asked worriedly.

"He might be upset about being denied an interview," Rocky commented, suddenly regretting speaking up when he saw the shocked looks on Adam and Helen's faces. "Whoops, I guess that was a secret."

Helen scowled at Thomas, "You and Rocky knew about this and you didn't tell me?" she said in an upset voice just as Aisha and Billy came into the Youth Center. "I could have talked to Malcolm if I had known."

"Known what?" Billy asked in a confused voice. "Hey, where IS Malcolm, anyway?"

Helen sighed, "I'm going to go home in case Malcolm shows up there," she said in a distressed voice. "I think we need to have a talk with both Jason and Malcolm about this Peace Conference thing. It's clear that Malcolm isn't reacting well to being rejected nor is he happy about Jason being made a finalist."

"Maybe he went to the beach with Tommy and Kimberly," Billy cut in in a gentle voice. "I know Tommy and Kimberly were going there after school to hang out while it's still warm. Maybe he went along too."

Scoffing, Helen sighed again and hugged her husband as Billy, Aisha, Adam, and Ernie watched.

* * *

"Zordon, the Black Ranger is missing!" Alpha exclaimed as he watched the scene at the Youth Center through the Viewing Globe. "We need to gather the other Rangers to go and search for him."

From inside his time warp, Zordon sighed patiently and Alpha gasped as the scene suddenly changed to the Angel Grove hospital; Tommy was standing outside of a closed examination room talking with an older man who looked a lot like him. The door suddenly opened and a nurse came out into the hall.

"The Black Ranger had an unexpected run-in with Rita and Zedison," Zordon replied. "He was dealing with his frustration in the only way he knows how and Rita took advantage of him being alone."

Alpha whimpered, "Relax Alpha," Zordon commented. "Tommy is handling the situation quite well."

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi," Alpha replied in a distressed voice. "I fear the Rangers are not as united as before."

Zordon sighed, "They may surprise you yet, Alpha," he replied. "Have confidence in their abilities."

Alpha nodded, but continued to watch the Viewing Globe, worried that all would soon be lost.

* * *

Anna Hart smiled as Kimberly walked through the front door of their house, "Kimberly, I'm glad you came home so quickly," she said in a kind voice as she came out of the kitchen. "I want to talk to you."

"Can we talk while I have a snack?" Kimberly asked, suddenly feeling very hungry. "Please Mom?"

Anna looked nervous, but silently hurried into the kitchen with Kimberly at her heels. All thoughts of food were forgotten, however, when Kimberly saw a man wearing nice European clothes standing at the counter with a tall glass of milk in his hand. He smiled at Kimberly and silently took a sip of milk.

"Mom, who's this?" Kimberly asked in a nervous voice, wondering what was going on.

Anna smiled, "Kimberly, this is Pierre," she said as she walked over to Pierre, "He is my fiancé."

"Allo, Kimberly," Pierre said in a friendly voice as he set the glass down and offered his hand to her.

Kimberly scowled, "You're getting married again, Mom?" she asked. "When are you getting married?"

"Within the next month, dear," Anna replied in a kind voice. "The three of us can then move to Paris."

Swallowing hard, Kimberly backed away, "Mom, as much fun as that sounds, I need some time to be by myself and think about this," she said in a nervous voice. "You've dropped a huge bombshell on me."

Anna frowned as Kimberly turned and ran out of the kitchen. A moment later, she heard the front door open and close again very quickly; she then looked at Pierre with an apologetic look over Kimberly's unusually impolite behavior.

* * *

"…I just called the Lee Scott's cell-phone and talked with Jason's dad," Malcolm heard Tommy say. "I asked if Malcolm could come out for the weekend to relax and they immediately said it was okay…"

From his place on the exam bed, Malcolm sighed and struggled to get comfortable even though he was wearing a flimsy gown and covered by only a thin blanket. He was laying on his right side to try and alleviate some of the pain he felt from being beaten up by the Putties, but it wasn't working.

Tommy and Dr. Oliver had remained close while the medical staff had taken his history, examined him, and had taken him for x-rays. Now, all Malcolm could do was lie there and hope to fall asleep.

A sudden knock at the door, however, shattered that hope and Malcolm looked up just in time to see a middle-aged nurse with chocolate skin, dark hair, and pink scrubs come over to the bed holding a large x-ray file. She smiled down at Malcolm and wincing, he slowly sat up and tried to look half-awake.

"Hi there, Malcolm," the nurse said in a kind voice. "I'm Nurse Mona Campbell and the doctor sent me here with your x-rays and to take care of your injuries for you. How are you feeling right now?"

Malcolm swallowed hard, "Tired and sore," he replied in a soft voice. "I just want to get out of here."

"I understand," Nurse Campbell said in a gentle voice as she took the x-ray over to a light-box, put it on, and switched the light-box on. "Hmm, you have four broken ribs, but they'll be easy to set."

Having overheard that comment, Tommy came back into the room, "My uncle's gone to get supplies for the study weekend up at his cabin," he said, smiling at the nurse. "You can study while you rest."

Malcolm nodded and remained silent as the nurse prepared to set his ribs with Tommy nearby.

* * *

"…I don't want to move to Paris, Aisha," Kimberly said as she and Aisha entered the Youth Center to get something to drink as they talked. Kimberly had run into Aisha just outside and they had come back in.

Aisha sighed, "Maybe you could stay with my family so you can finish high school," she offered in a gentle voice as they walked over to the juice bar where Jason's parents were sitting with Billy and Adam.

"Hi girls," Helen said in a pleasant voice. "How is your weekend going so far?"

Kimberly smiled, but inside she was nervous, "Mrs. Lee Scott, have you seen Jason anywhere?" she asked, fully intending to tell Jason about the fight with the Putties and where Malcolm was.

"I believe he's at the school for that finalists meeting," Helen replied pleasantly. "If you're looking for Malcolm too, Kimberly, he's going to be spending the weekend with Tommy and his uncle out at Doctor Oliver's cabin; it's the least we could allow him to do after he got rejected for an interview."

Nodding, Kimberly backed away from the table, "Billy, Adam, do you wanna come with Aisha and I over to the school?" she asked in a feigned nervous voice. "I left some stuff in my locker that I need."

Quickly realizing that Kimberly was just trying to have an excuse to go over to the school to find Jason, Billy and Adam nodded, "Yeah, we can come," Adam replied as he and Billy got up from their seats.

"Kids," Thomas said, chuckling as Kimberly, Adam, Aisha, and Billy quickly left the Youth Center.

* * *

"…Jason, the entire group is waiting for you," Mr. Caplan's strict voice said as Jason bolted down the hallway towards the auditorium where the finalists meeting would be held. "Rocky DeSantos…"

As Jason approached the auditorium, he could see Rocky trying to talk to a frustrated looking Mr. Caplan, "…Please sir, if I could just have another chance to convince them that I'm what they're looking for, I will do better than I did in the interview," Rocky said in a pleading voice. "Just give me some time."

"You have two minutes," Mr. Caplan said, glaring at Jason as he led Rocky into the crowded auditorium.

Jason sighed and tried not to show his frustration; he had been helping the janitors put the mats away from the match after the bell had rang and he had lost track of time. Now Mr. Caplan was irritated.

"Jason?" Jason suddenly heard as footsteps came up behind him. "Jason, we need to talk to you."

Jason turned and saw Kimberly, Billy, Aisha, and Adam behind him, "What's up?" he asked casually.

"Tommy and I came across Malcolm at the beach a while ago," Kimberly replied, having already shared the story with Billy, Aisha, and Adam. "Zedison took his morpher and Rita made him fight Putties."

Jason frowned, "Did Rita kidnap Malcolm again?" he asked, suddenly feeling very uneasy.

"No, but the Putties and Rita banged Malcolm up a bit," Kimberly replied. "Tommy and Doctor Oliver took Malcolm to the hospital and then they're going to Doctor Oliver's cabin for the weekend…"

For a moment, Jason was silent and then he looked at Billy, "Billy, do you think the RADBUG can get us to Doctor Oliver's cabin?" he asked, suddenly not caring about the finalists class anymore. "Tommy told me where it was once and I need to talk to Malcolm and ask him what's bothering him."

"Jason, can Adam and I come with you and Billy?" Aisha asked, concerned about her new friend.

Kimberly frowned, "There is no way that I'm not coming along to help," she said in an anxious voice.

"What about your interview, Jason?" Billy asked in a concerned voice. "It's very important to you."

Jason shook his head, "Nothing is more important than family," he said firmly. "Let's get going."

Empowered by Jason's determination, Kimberly, Aisha, Billy, and Adam followed him down the hallway towards the school exit. A moment later, Mr. Caplan poked his head out the door and scoffed at seeing Jason walking the other way with his friends; he then returned to the classroom, closing the door.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set by the time the RADBUG made it to the beachside cabin that Dr. Oliver owned and kept in good order even though he didn't use it often anymore. As the car approached the parking area, its headlights shone on a figure that was just coming outside; it was Tommy.

Concerned why Tommy was alone and wondering where Malcolm and Dr. Oliver were at, Jason ripped off his seatbelt and quickly got out of the car before anyone could stop him, "Jason, what are you doing here?" Tommy asked, shocked when Billy, Adam, Aisha, and Kimberly also got out of the car.

"Kimberly told us about you and her saving Malcolm from being attacked by Putties," Jason said in a concerned voice. "She also said that he asked you and her for help instead of coming to me for help."

Tommy nodded, but before he could reply, the front door opened, "Thomas, why are you making a bunch of racket outside at this time of day?" Dr. Oliver's gentle, yet concerned voice asked.

"Jason and some of my other friends came up to check on Malcolm, Uncle Frank," Tommy replied.

Kimberly sighed, "Tommy, if Malcolm needs time to rest, we can go," she said in a worried voice.

"You kids would be crazy to try and travel back to Angel Grove in the dark," Dr. Oliver's gentle voice suddenly cut in. "Why don't you all come inside and we'll have a good talk about this over dinner?"

Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Adam, and Aisha all looked at each other in silence; they had all told their parents that they wanted to come up for a study weekend anyway, so why couldn't they stay at least overnight?

Encouraged by that and the eager look that Tommy was giving them, the group all nodded and followed Tommy up the wooden stairs and into the large cabin.

The cabin foyer was decorated in simple wooden furniture with dreamcatchers on the walls and Native American-style blankets draped over the chairs, on one of the walls, and tucked in a small open closet just to the left of the front door.

Dr. Oliver was standing at the bottom of a beautifully crafted wooden staircase in a plaid shirt, jeans, and sandals with a small bottle of pills and Malcolm's school clothes in his hands, "If you're here to see Malcolm, he's sound asleep right now," Dr. Oliver said in a kind voice. "After we got up here, Tommy helped Malcolm upstairs and helped him into some of the spare clothes I keep out here in case I ever need a place to stay. They were a little big on Malcolm, but I figured that they would be comfier than the ones he wore to school today. Anyway, the hospital gave me some pain medication to give him in case he complains of pain; he's SUPPOSED to take them with food, but he's refusing to eat right now."

"Pain?" Jason asked, suddenly very concerned that Tommy and Kimberly hadn't told him how much damage the Putties, Zedison, and Rita had done to his cousin. "What exactly happened?"

Dr. Oliver sighed, "Malcolm said he was out walking by the beach and he got jumped by a couple of punks who roughed him up before running away," he replied softly. "While we were at the hospital, I called Lieutenant Stone in to try and get Malcolm to tell who attacked him, but Malcolm wouldn't talk."

Kimberly's eyes widened; she wondered who Lieutenant Stone had accused of the attack on Malcolm.

Fortunately, before she could say anything, Dr. Oliver sighed, "I have three bedrooms upstairs and one of them is mine," he said in a tired voice. "I already made a large dinner for Tommy, Malcolm, and myself and it's more than enough for the rest of you. After dinner, Tommy will show all of you to where you can stay for the weekend; Kimberly and her friend in one room, and Jason, Billy, Tommy, and—"

"Adam Park, sir," Adam replied timidly, as he had always been sternly taught to show respect to others.

Dr. Oliver nodded and looked to Aisha, "And you are?" he asked, not really knowing her well.

"Aisha Campbell," Aisha replied, giving Doctor Oliver a smile. "My mom works as a nurse at the hospital in Angel Grove and that's why we moved here; she wanted a better job than she had in Stone Canyon."

Dr. Oliver smiled, "Wonderful," he said in a calm voice. "Tommy, please take Billy, Kimberly, Adam, and Aisha into the kitchen and get them some food. I want to talk to Jason alone for a moment."

Tommy nodded and led Billy, Kimberly, Adam, and Aisha into the kitchen, "Right before he fell asleep, Malcolm wrote a letter explaining why he did what he did," Dr. Oliver said in a low voice as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded up piece of paper. "A letter might help you understand things."

"Malcolm wants me to read this?" Jason asked as he took the letter. "Does he think that I'm mad?"

Dr. Oliver shrugged, "Maybe after you've eaten, take some time to sit in the common area and read through it," he replied softly. "Hopefully after you've read it, he'll be awake and you two can talk."

"Maybe," Jason said as he pocketed the letter to keep it secret. "Can I read it over right now?"

Dr. Oliver suddenly looked thoughtful, "If you think it will help you, you may," he replied in a gentle voice. "I can save enough food for you and Malcolm for later, but don't dwell on the letter all night."

Jason nodded and walked off into the den to spend time reading the letter and thinking very hard.

For a moment, Dr. Oliver was silent and then turned to join the small crowd in the kitchen for dinner.

* * *

"Okay, Bulk, let's try this one more time," Lt. Stone said in an exasperated voice as he handed the nervous Bulk another glass of water. "Where exactly were you after school if you weren't at the beach?"

Bulk whimpered and quickly took a sip of water; he had been sneaking back to the school after hours to see if he could slip into the finalists meeting to hang out with Skull without anyone else noticing. On his way from his house back to the school, however, Bulk had found himself being detained for questioning.

"Bulk, PLEASE don't make me phone your parents," Lt. Stone said in an irritated voice. "Start talking."

Bulk sighed, "I was on my way back to school to sneak into the finalists meeting, okay?" he snapped.

Lt. Stone suddenly looked amused, "The finalists meeting to see who will be picked from Angel Grove High to go to the World Peace Conference in Switzerland?" he asked. "You and Skull are FAR from…"

"Skull was actually made a finalist and is being considered for honors classes because he turned in a bunch of homework that was all correct," Bulk replied despondently. "I'm being considered for military school next year because Mr. Caplan and Ms. Appleby don't think I have enough discipline at home."

Lt. Stone sighed, "So you really have no idea who attacked Malcolm Lee Scott at the beach today?" he asked, realizing that he would need to talk to Malcolm for a better picture on what happened. "

"No!" Bulk said in an anxious voice. "I didn't even know Malcolm was attacked! That's so awful!"

Swallowing hard, as he had thought for sure that Bulk and Skull had been involved, Lt. Stone silently left the interview room to try and figure out what to do; Bulk might or might not end up being helpful.

* * *

"Malcolm, are you still asleep?" a voice filtered into the guest bedroom that had been assigned to the boys for the weekend. "Malcolm, Doctor Oliver went to bed about an hour ago, but the girls are still up and we're wondering if you wanna come downstairs and have a midnight snack with all of us."

Silence was the only reply and the door promptly opened, "Malcolm?" Adam asked, having snuck out of the kitchen and upstairs to check on Malcolm without telling Jason, Tommy, Billy, Kimberly, or Aisha.

"Adam, I need your help," Malcolm's voice spoke weakly. "Zedison did something to my Morpher."

Frowning, Adam turned on the light and saw that Malcolm was lying on the floor in oversized clothes with sweat pouring down his pale face, "Do you want me to get Jason?" Adam asked in a concerned voice. "What do you mean that Zedison did something to your Morpher? Did he break it?"

"What's going on?" Jason's voice suddenly filtered through the door. "Why are you on the floor?"

Jason quickly entered the room and walked over to where Malcolm lay, "Jason, take my Morpher to Zordon and Alpha," Malcolm said in a faint voice, seeing that Jason was there. "Zedison cursed it."

"What about you?" Jason asked as he knelt down beside Malcolm. "You need their help too."

Malcolm sighed and closed his eyes, too tired to speak, "Do you want me to get the other Rangers?" Adam asked, knowing that he was useless in this situation. "They can help Malcolm more than I can."

"No, all the noise would wake Doctor Oliver up," Jason replied. "I need you to help me, okay Adam?"

As Jason raised his communicator, Adam nodded, "Alpha, can you transport Adam, Malcolm, and I to the Command Center?" Jason asked in a low voice. "I think Zedison cursed Malcolm's morpher."

* * *

"You're right, Jason," Billy commented nearly an hour later as he stood before an analysis machine that contained Malcolm's Morpher. "Zedison put a spell on it that Malcolm's energy would be taken."

Jason sighed and looked over to where Alpha was helping Malcolm sit up on the cot; he watched as Alpha offered a large metal glass of a steaming liquid and helped the trembling boy to hold it.

After he and Adam had brought Malcolm to the Command Center, Alpha had taken away Malcolm's Morpher and had secretly summoned Billy, the technical genius of the Rangers, to analyze it. Billy had used the excuse of needing the bathroom to escape the party with Kimberly, Aisha, and Tommy.

"This will bring back the energy that was taken by your cursed Morpher," Alpha said in a gentle voice as he helped Malcolm to drink the entire glass of liquid. "There are brief side effects, but it will help you."

As he swallowed the liquid, Malcolm made a face, "It makes me feel a little nauseous, but I am grateful for the help," he said in a tired voice. "Alpha, did Zedison get the Black Power back by cursing me?"

"No, but your Morpher is definitely damaged," Billy cut in. "You definitely cannot morph for a while."

Malcolm sighed and looked down, "I apologize for letting you and the other Rangers down, Zordon," he said in a sorrowful voice as he looked back up towards Zordon. "After I was rejected for a Peace Conference interview, I was dealing with so many emotions that I just needed time to myself."

"You were rejected for an interview?" Jason asked in a concerned voice. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Malcolm sighed as Adam quietly moved to stand beside Billy, "You were so excited about being chosen as a finalist that I didn't want to ruin that," Malcolm replied. "After I was attacked and taken out to Dr. Oliver's cabin, I was able to write a letter expressing my thoughts about it. Did you read it, Jason?"

"I did," Jason replied gently. "It gave me a lot to think about, but let's focus on you right now, okay?"

Before Malcolm could react, Jason pulled him into a brotherly hug, "Alpha will analyze your Morpher and let you know if it can be repaired," Zordon spoke up. "For now, you all should go back to the cabin where you teleported from before anyone discovers you missing."

As the four boys were teleported from the Command Center, Zordon became lost in deep thought.

* * *

**Okay, so does anyone want to please review the story so that I feel motivated to continue it?**


	14. Transfer of Powers and Plans

Zedd never felt so mortal in his long life; he was tired, sore, and pain was radiating from every inch of his unique body. He didn't even have enough power to return to his Moon Palace; he had sent out a mind message to Zedison, instructing the boy to come and rescue him from the dark side of the moon.

Fortunately, Zedd didn't have long to lay on the surface of the moon in waiting; he could feel Zedison approach even though it was too dark to see anything, "Father?" Zedison's voice suddenly spoke.

"Zedison, I am too injured to make it back to the palace without help," Zedd croaked, his voice fading with every syllable. "I had a productive quest, but I paid a heavy price for the information I gathered."

Zedison gave a nod, "I shall assist you, Father," he replied darkly. "Mother has been anxious to see you."

* * *

The sound of buzzing woke Jason from his restful slumber and he lifted his head only to find Malcolm's side of the room bare and his cousin's bed empty and made. A large note sat on top of the comforter.

Frowning, Jason quickly got out of bed, walked over to Malcolm's bed, and picked up the note.

_Jason,_

_Recent events have given me a lot to think about and if you get chosen for the Peace Conference, I want you to go and do the best you can for world peace. I shouldn't mooch off your family and make it difficult for them any longer than I already have. Your parents don't need to waste any more time trying to fix me, nor do you. The whole experience with Zedison and Rita made me realize that I've been too dependent on people ever since my parents were killed and the dependency needs to stop today._

_I got up early this morning, packed my things quietly, and decided to go to the Angel Grove shelter until I can somehow save up enough money for a bus ticket back to what's left of Crystal Valley. I'll make a new life for myself and since I'm no longer a Ranger, I am pretty much useless to everyone in the area._

_I'll still attend Angel Grove High and finish as much schooling as I can before I can save up the money…_

Too shocked to read any more of the letter, Jason folded it and put it in his pocket; he would take the letter to the Command Center for Zordon and Alpha to read before talking to his parents. Malcolm might have physically healed from the weekend at Dr. Oliver's cabin, but he was far from emotionally okay and didn't feel like he had anyone to confide in about that.

Jason sighed and lifted his Communicator, prepared to contact Zordon, Alpha, and the other Rangers for a quick meeting.

* * *

Reporters waited in the street, anxious to grab interviews with the chosen students once the names were formally announced. Even though it was just barely sunrise, students, teachers, and parents were already crowding the adjoining Youth Center to see who the interviewers had ultimately chosen.

Among the crowd was Tommy, Kimberly, Rocky, Aisha, Billy, Trini, and Zack; they were hoping that Jason, Malcolm, and Adam would join them later for some hang out time. For now, though, they and everyone else in Angel Grove were very anxious to see who had been chosen for the Peace Conference.

Although everyone's focus was on the TV, Ernie was busy hanging up black and orange streamers, paper pumpkins, and other little festive decorations in preparation for the Halloween party that would happen later that night. Bulk and Skull were reluctantly helping although they kept half an eye on the television.

"…The three students from Angel Grove High who will be attending the World Peace Conference in Switzerland have been chosen," a newscaster's voice suddenly said, causing everyone to look at the small television that was on the counter of the Juice bar. "The three students are Trini Kwan, Zack Taylor, and Rocky DeSantos. These three students are to be congratulated for their work…"

Kimberly smiled at Rocky, Trini, and Zack, "Congratulations, you guys!" she said in an excited voice.

"I didn't think I stood a chance until Mr. Caplan let me stay for that meeting," Rocky replied in a gratified voice, truly excited for the opportunity. "It's too bad that Jason withdrew his application last week when he was given another chance to be selected. Mr. Caplan is now wondering why exactly he withdrew…"

Tommy and Billy exchanged confused looks, "Jason withdrew his application?" Tommy asked, wondering why Jason didn't go for it if he could have gotten chosen. "He didn't tell any of us."

Before Rocky could reply, there was an odd beeping sound, "Oh, do we really have to answer that?" Trini whispered in a tired voice. "I'm sure many people will want to congratulate us for this."

"You can stay here if you want, Trini," Kimberly replied gently. "We'll call if we need you there."

Trini nodded and turned her attention to the crowd as Tommy, Kimberly, and Billy left the common area and retreated into a side hallway that was thankfully empty. A moment later, after learning they were needed they dematerialized.

* * *

Ignoring the bright sunshine filtering in through the high windows of the Angel Grove Shelter, Adam locked the room that was no bigger than a closet, but had served his needs well for nearly a year, and strode out into the common area. He was wearing jeans, boots, and an old black shirt that day; it would help him be able to try and find work or to see if he could do any odd jobs around the city for pay. The room was small, but it fit his need for safe privacy.

His eyes wandered over the few beds that contained people who were either homeless because of some tragedy, running from bad situations, or just needing a place until they got back on their feet.

Most of the beds were empty, but one suddenly caught his attention; Malcolm was sleeping in one of the beds that had a loaded duffel bag and a filled box underneath it. He looked like he had been crying for hours.

"Malcolm, are you awake?" Adam asked as he walked over to the cot where Malcolm lay asleep.

Malcolm let out a groan and opened his eyes, "Adam, what are you doing here?" he asked in a groggy voice, not at all pleased to see Adam hovering over him. "Did Jason find my note and send you?"

"Um, no," Adam replied nervously. "Why are you here at the shelter and not at Jason's house?"

At the mention of Jason, Malcolm scoffed and sat up, "What's the point of me staying there if Jason's going to Switzerland and his parents only have guardianship of me?" he asked in an irritated voice. "I don't really have any family, Adam. I'm seen as their orphan nephew and a dependent freak."

"You don't know for sure that Jason got picked," Adam replied nervously as he sat on the empty bed next to Malcolm's. "Thousands of students applied and there might have been better applicants."

Malcolm sighed, "I really don't think so," he said in a hopeless voice, realizing that Adam had no idea what letter was being referred to. "I wrote Jason a letter this morning, packed my stuff, and left because not being able to go to the Peace Conference or to be a Power Ranger anymore is depressing me."

"I thought Alpha took your Morpher so he could fix it?" Adam asked. "Do you still have your Coin?"

Suddenly feeling very ashamed of his anger, Malcolm shook his head, "It was cursed along with the Morpher and they're both under repair," he replied weakly. "I can feel the effect that it's had on me."

"A Morpher has nothing to do with how you're feeling inside," Adam replied in a gentle, yet very firm voice as he gazed at his friend. "You feel hurt because you were rejected and it's okay to feel hurt."

* * *

Once arriving, all had morphed and Jason had then been asked to wait in the Chamber of Light with only Alpha for company while the other Rangers had given Zordon a complete account of recent events.

"…Jason, thank you for waiting in the Chamber of Light with Alpha while I talked with Tommy, Kimberly, Billy, and Trini," Zordon said as Jason followed Alpha out of the hidden chamber after being instructed to wait there for a time. "While the note Malcolm left is very serious, I guarantee that he is fine."

Jason frowned as Billy handed the note to him, "If you have your doubts, Rangers, take a look in the Viewing Globe," Alpha instructed, feeling like not everyone believed Zordon. "He is all right."

Jason, Kimberly, Tommy, Billy, and Trini gathered around the Viewing Globe and saw Adam and Malcolm sitting on cots at the Angel Grove Center, talking quietly. Malcolm was gravitating between bursting into tears and throwing up while Adam remained calm. The five Rangers watched as the door to the shelter opened and Aisha came into the shelter looking very concerned. She hugged both Malcolm and Adam.

"Zordon, now that I've been selected to go to the Peace Conference, I worry," Trini suddenly spoke up as she looked away from the Globe to their mentor. "With Malcolm's instability, I wonder if he can carry on in his current position as the Black Ranger. Maybe someone else should be chosen to take his place."

The images from the viewing globe suddenly faded, "Trini, in light of recent events, I have contemplated assigning another to be the keeper of the Black Ranger Powers," Zordon said. "However…"

Without warning, Adam, Aisha, and Malcolm materialized in the Command Center, "It is good of all of you to join us," Zordon said, turning his attention to the three new arrivals. "As you may or may not be aware, Trini was selected to attend the World Peace Conference and we are now in need of a new Yellow Ranger. However, in light of recent circumstances, I have decided upon three new Rangers."

"Congratulations," Malcolm replied, forcing himself to hold back tears as he looked at Jason. "I knew for sure that you'd be picked to go to the Peace Conference. There's nobody else I would have expected…"

Swallowing hard, Malcolm sighed and went quiet, "Malcolm, there's something you should know," Jason replied softly, putting an arm around his cousin. "I withdrew my application at the last minute and I explained that I needed to care for the important things in life right now, which includes all my family."

"Jason is telling the truth, Malcolm," Zordon cut in. "His sacrifice is great and yet it cannot even measure against the personal sacrifices you have been forced to make in the last few months, which is why I have summoned you all here. The sword Malcolm used to destroy Lord Zedd's staff has been identified by Alpha as nothing other than the Sword of Light; it has the capacity to transfer powers from older Rangers to newer Rangers. Alpha, please bring Tommy the sword so the ceremony can begin."

Alpha nodded, hurried into the Chamber, and came back less than a moment later with a large golden sword. He immediately handed the sword to Tommy and then hurried over to the computer consoles.

"Tommy raise the sword above your head," Zordon instructed. "The new Yellow Ranger will be none other than Aisha and the Black Ranger will now be Adam. Both have proven themselves worthy."

Tommy nodded and raised the Sword of Light above his head. Power immediately shot out of Zordon's tube and clothed both Adam and Aisha in the Black and Yellow Power suits. Malcolm sighed, but he felt at peace about what had just happened, especially with Jason there to support and keep him sane.

"Bye guys," Trini said right before she was teleported out of the Command Center. "Catch ya later."

Tommy, Billy, Adam, and Aisha all gathered together, but Kimberly looked at Zordon, "Zordon, I thought you said there were going to be three new Rangers?" she asked, confused. "Who's the new Ranger?"

Before anyone else could speak, a Power Coin suddenly materialized in Malcolm's left hand, "Malcolm, I have watched you conquer many undesirable situations with great courage and although you are unable to hold the Black Power because of Zedison's curse, I see no reason why you have not earned the gift of holding a power," Zordon said as Malcolm looked at the Coin. "Alpha, bring him his instruments."

"Congratulations," Alpha said as he brought a Communicator and Morpher over to Malcolm, both of which were a dark shade of orange. Malcolm stared at the items for a moment and looked at Zordon.

Zordon smiled, "I know that you do not understand my decision completely, but your ongoing courage has shown me that you continue to be worthy of being a Power Ranger," he explained. "Your Power is from a dinosaur called the Velociraptor, your color is orange, and you will control the Velociraptor Lightning Zord. There is no need to use the power right now, as Zedd and Rita have been surprisingly silent as of late. However, there is still work for you to accomplish with the help of family and friends."

"Yes, I know," Malcolm replied softly as he put the new Communicator on his wrist and pocketed his new Morpher. He then turned to Tommy, Kimberly, Billy, Aisha, and Adam and they all smiled at him.

Tommy cleared his throat, "No matter what happens, gang; we're a family," he said in a firm voice.

* * *

The faint groan of her husband caused Rita to hurry into the throne room only to find Zedd lying on the floor with an unmasked Zedison kneeling next to him. She saw a small keychain-like orb clenched in his right hand, but said nothing about it and instead turned her attention to her badly injured husband.

"Rita, I killed Master Vile," Zedd croaked in a quiet voice as he struggled to stay awake. "He held the secrets I needed to destroy the Power Rangers, but he would not give them to me…so I took them."

Rita gasped, "You murdered my father?!" she asked in a horrified voice. "Did you HAVE to kill him?"

"He was going to kill me because I married you," Zedd replied in a faint voice. "I took the secret of Ivan Ooze's burial chamber and also the Orb of Doom from him after he died. I barely escaped with my life."

Nodding, Rita looked to Zedison and then back at her husband, "Shall I go and open the chamber?" Rita asked in a curious voice. Zedd weakly shook his head, coughed up some blood, and sighed deeply.

"You will need help and your help will need to be from a civilian," Zedd replied weakly. "The chamber is in Angel Grove, but it will need more than one person to open it. I dare not go myself and I need your mother to take care of me here. I trust that you will select a civilian worthy of being trained in evil?"

Zedison nodded and got to his feet, "I will," he said, bowing to his parents. "I will not fail either of you."

As Zedison walked out of the chamber, Zedd succumbed to unconsciousness and Rita screamed.

* * *

"There you two are!" Helen exclaimed in a relieved voice as she entered the Youth Center and saw Jason and Malcolm sitting at a table near the counter with Tommy, Kimberly, Adam, Billy, and Aisha. "Your father's just parking the car and we brought you two the costumes you left at the house this morning!"

Jason smiled, got up, and walked over to his mother, "Mom, can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked, intending to show his parents the note, which had been modified to omit any mention of Rita or Zedison, and talk to them about Malcolm running away. "It's sort of really important."

Helen smiled, "Come out to the car and you can talk to both your father and I out there," she replied.

As Jason left with his parents, Malcolm sighed and quickly got up from the table, "I'd better go get my stuff from the shelter," he said in a nervous voice. "I have to pretend everything's fine, that I'm the perfect child, and that I was just kidding about everything. My aunt and uncle think I'm recovered from what happened, but I'm not. There's a lot about me that they don't know…they can't know."

"Malcolm, what are you talking about?" Aisha asked in a concerned voice. "You're doing fine."

Malcolm sighed, "My parents loved me, but they never knew that I hung out at the dojo all the time in Crystal Valley because I had no friends," he replied. "I would constantly get beat up, robbed, or teased at school because I was so good at my classes and spent my free time helping my parents at the dojo."

"I can understand that," Adam suddenly cut in. "Trying to deal with bullies is never an easy thing."

Suddenly looking uncomfortable, Malcolm shivered, "They found out not long before the accident and that's why we came to Angel Grove," he replied. "My dad was going to talk to Jason's parents and see if I could finish high school out here where I'd be safe. I suddenly don't feel like being around anyone."

Before anyone could reply, Malcolm quickly hurried behind the counter and into the kitchen. Tommy could overhear him asking Ernie if he could use a hand doing things in the kitchen or with the dishes.

"Do you suppose Zedd or Rita put a spell on Malcolm to make him seem like he's not confident?" Billy asked in a confused voice, deeply concerned by Malcolm's behavior. "Maybe we should talk to Zordon about this, as if Malcolm's under a spell, he shouldn't be holding a Power Coin until he's free of it."

Adam suddenly looked annoyed, "Just give him some space," he commented. "He'll be just fine."

"Guys, what are we fighting about?" Kimberly suddenly cut in, her tone full of concern. "We should be thinking of how to unite ourselves as Rangers. Let's think of how we can help Malcolm feel better."

* * *

"…_You're right, Kimberly," Tommy said as he smiled at Kimberly. "You've always got good ideas…"_

As the light faded from the palm of his hand, Zedison gazed at the mortals he had encountered while hanging around the Angel Grove airport looking for any potential candidates to help him fulfill his father's mission.

Not long after arriving, he had encountered two young ladies with blonde hair who had just gotten off a plane from Los Angeles; he had approached the ladies asking for help and directions. The two ladies had only met each other after sitting next to each other on the plane, but already felt like they were friends

The ladies, who had introduced themselves as Katherine Hillard and Laura Hammond, had quickly taken the bait and had quickly found everyone around them fleeing, "…So you see, ladies, I have quite a predicament on my hands," Zedison said as he extended his hands towards them. "There are amazing opportunities for you if you just come with me. All happiness and glory can be yours if you help me."

"No thanks," Laura quickly replied, immediately earning a blast of magic from Zedison so powerful that it sent her to the floor in the midst of the fleeing crowd. Katherine took a step back, but said nothing.

Zedison took a step towards Katherine and grabbed her wrist, "You'll do nicely," he said, immediately taking her ability to speak away with a wave of his hand. "You'll eventually be a lovely replacement for that goody-two-shoes Pink Ranger. You'll have to be trained in evil by my mother first, of course."

"Please, have mercy," Katherine pleaded in a scared voice. "Why do you want to harm me?"

Zedison chuckled, unaware that Trini, Rocky, and Zack were just entering the airport with their luggage and were witnessing the entire fight and were unsure of what to do, "Oh, my dear Katherine, I will show you mercy," he said in an amused voice. "You will have only the memories that my mother gives you."

"Stop right there, Zedison!" Trini yelled her instincts as a former Ranger kicked in. "You're toast!"

Immediately recognizing Trini and Zack, Zedison cackled and brandished the staff full of Malcolm's energy at them, "What do you plan to do, Powerless Rangers?" he asked in an amused voice as he shot magic at the two of them and Rocky, immediately causing them to vanish. "None will remember this."

"You…monster," Katherine whispered as she suddenly collapsed to the airport floor unconscious.

Zedison cackled, gazed at Laura's unconscious form menacingly, and quickly vanished with Katherine before anyone who fled decided to come back. There would be time for proper revenge later on and, in the meantime, none would have memory of this encounter and Katherine Hillard could be trained in evil.

* * *

"Mother, I have returned with a worthy candidate to help open the chamber," Zedison said as he carried the unconscious Kat into the Moon Palace's throne room. "There were two of them, however…"

Rita scoffed and came out of the room where Zedd was now resting comfortably, "I saw the whole thing through the telescope," she replied in an annoyed voice, her look of frustration suddenly turning to one of pure joy as she saw the beautiful girl in Zedison's arms. "Oh, she's perfect to train as a daughter!"

"Yes Mother," Zedison replied in a toneless voice as he lay Kat at his mother's feet. "She is perfect. Her name is Katherine Hillard and she is missed by none."

The stress of Zedd's condition no longer bothered Rita, at least for the moment; she smiled and waved her magic wand at Katherine, muttering a chant under her breath. Katherine's clothes were immediately replaced with a dark red gown that was similar to Rita's, but the young girl remained unconscious.

"Once she is trained, you and her will accompany me to Ivan Ooze's burial chamber in Angel Grove and we will unleash Ivan Ooze as your father wanted," Rita said in a commanding voice. "If your father is well, he will join us and we will unleash Ooze so that he can help us to finally dominate the world!"

Zedison nodded, but frowned, "Mother, the Power Rangers will intervene to keep the peace," he commented in a concerned voice. "The world also is busy with some sort of Peace Conference."

"We plan to use Ivan Ooze to disrupt the Peace Conference," Rita replied nastily. "As for the Power Rangers, your father has the Orb of Doom and will use Ivan Ooze's power to destroy the Rangers."

Even though she couldn't wake up, Katherine heard the words 'Orb of Doom' and thoughts of dominating the Power Rangers herself suddenly filled her changing mind; once she had her strength back, she would pretend to serve these weirdos willingly and then take the Orb of Doom to cause doom.

Fortunately, before Rita or Zedison had any idea that she had eavesdropped while semiconscious, Katherine found herself teleported into another chamber; the transformation would soon be final.

While she lay in the chamber that would turn her evil, Kat suddenly had a thought of Laura and wondered if she was okay. The chamber suddenly vanished and she found herself in a dark chamber with a fog covered floor, facing a blue being that was completely clothed in gold armor and looking angry.

"It seems you need to learn humility before you can be trained to rely on the forces of evil as your guide, Katherine," Goldar said in a menacing voice as the frightened Kat assumed fighting stance. "May you learn this lesson well.

* * *

**Please read and review!**


	15. Struggles of Life and Domination

November came quickly and with it, even colder weather than what was present during Halloween.

Nobody minded the cold too much, however, as there were plenty of exciting things to do indoors and with school still in session, the teachers tried to keep the lessons lighthearted to keep the minds of the students off of the cold. Ms. Appleby, for one, had taken to showing movies dealing with current issues in her English and History classes, asking the students to take notes, and then write reports on them.

It was early and although the bell had not yet rung, most of the desks were already full; Jason, Billy, Tommy, Aisha, Adam, Kimberly, Bulk, Skull, and several others were all in their seats and preparing to take notes on that day's movie. Malcolm suddenly came into the room and nearly knocked into Bulk on his way to his desk at the back of the room; he looked tired, but really anxious about something.

"How was your meeting this morning?" Jason whispered, turning to face Malcolm as he sat down.

Malcolm sighed, but before he could reply, Ms. Appleby came into the room with Lt. Stone, who was completely clad in uniform and carrying a small yellow backpack. A moment later, a blonde, very thin and tired-looking teenage girl came into the classroom wearing old boots, oversized jeans that were patched, a dark t-shirt that was covered by an oversized flower-print jacket. The girl looked nervous.

"Class, this is Laura Hammond and she's just starting at Angel Grove High School today," Ms. Appleby said in a pleasant voice. "Laura, would you like to tell the class something about yourself please?"

Laura was silent for a moment, "I'm from Los Angeles and I'm here to get good grades," she replied in a toneless voice as she moved slowly to an empty desk near the door and sat down with a tired sigh.

"Why are you starting in the middle of the semester?" Bulk asked in a curious voice.

Laura shrugged and was silent as Lt. Stone carried the backpack over to her desk and set it on top, "Make sure you get help carrying it," he whispered to her. "You're not supposed to lift a lot yet."

"Bulk, I'm sure if Laura wants to share more about herself, she will," Ms. Appleby said in a no-nonsense tone as Lt. Stone left the room after smiling at Malcolm. "In light of Laura joining our class, I thought we'd do a little get-to-know-you exercise before starting today's movie. Who would like to start?"

* * *

"…I don't know why I couldn't do it," Adam said in the safety of Dr. Oliver's office nearly half an hour later. Adam had found himself unable to play the game and had politely asked to use the bathroom. When Ms. Appleby let him go, Adam had fled to Dr. Oliver's office, needing to talk to someone safe.

Dr. Oliver sighed; he knew Adam's history well and had become familiar with abuse cases of past students and even of present ones, especially that of Adam Park and his own nephew to name just a few; he had let Adam in and had been quiet as the scared boy shared his fears about his hidden past.

"…Adam, why would your friends judge you over something that wasn't your fault?" Dr. Oliver asked in a gentle voice, sighing patiently as Adam fidgeted while seated on the counseling couch.

Adam shrugged, "I don't know," he replied nervously. "Malcolm saw me at the shelter because he tried to run away a while ago. He thought Jason's parents didn't love him anymore and now I'm scared that he's gonna tell my friends that I live at the shelter. I'm gonna be labeled the school freak over this…"

"One moment," Dr. Oliver said as he quickly picked up the phone and dialed a few numbers, "Yes, Ms. Appleby, could you please inform Tommy Oliver that I need to speak with him in my office right away?"

There was murmuring on the other end of the phone, "…Excellent, thank you," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as there was a click on the other end and he hung up. "When Tommy arrives, I'd like you to wait in the hallway for a minute, Adam. I need to talk to him and then I want to talk to both of you together."

Adam nodded, stood, and moved towards the door, "I'll keep an eye out for him," he offered nervously.

* * *

The gentle knock on the door roused Dr. Oliver out of the contemplative state he was in as he watched Adam sit in a chair in the hallway, writing to pass time until Tommy showed up. The door opened and Tommy entered the room. Dr. Oliver smiled and gestured for Tommy to close the door, which he did.

"You wanted to see me?" Tommy asked, being careful not to refer to Frank as 'Uncle Frank', as they were in a professional setting. "What's Adam doing out in the hall? He missed half of class."

Dr. Oliver sighed, "Tommy, remember when I told you that your experiences in an abusive family situation would enable you to help others heal from their own?" he asked in a very gentle voice.

Tommy nodded and his eyes suddenly went wide, "Adam?" he mouthed quietly in a shocked voice.

"If you're comfortable talking about the past, I'd like you to show Adam that he's not alone," Dr. Oliver explained in a concerned voice. Tommy was silent for a moment and then nodded, looking at Adam.

* * *

"How interesting," Zedison hissed, watching through the telescope as Adam came into Dr. Oliver's office and began talking with both Dr. Oliver and Tommy. "The White and Black Ranger have shady and hidden pasts."

Rita suddenly came up beside him with her staff in hand, "I must stay with your father," she said in an anxious voice as she conjured a map with her wand and handed it to him. "Here is a map so that you and your sister can find Ivan Ooze's burial chamber. Open it and bring Ivan Ooze directly back here."

"Yes Mother," Zedison said as he turned away from the telescope to face her. "Where is my sister?"

Rita cackled, "She is undergoing final preparations," she replied evilly. "What were you looking at?"

"We need to send some Putties to Angel Grove High School to distract the Rangers so that Sister and I can open Ivan Ooze's burial chamber without interference," Zedison said in a dark voice, grinning.

Rita cackled, "I will do that!" she said in an amused, evil voice. "Now get out of here!"

Zedison bowed and quickly took his leave as Rita hurried off to send some Z-Putties to Angel Grove.

* * *

Tommy had been gone for nearly half an hour and the bell rang before Jason, Kimberly, Aisha, Billy, or Malcolm could wonder where he had gone. After putting the notes they made from the movie away, the five teens made their way into the cafeteria for lunch.

As the five teens joined the line forming at the food counter, Bulk and Skull strutted into the cafeteria and over to Laura, who was sitting alone at a corner table with a bag lunch. She immediately looked uncomfortable at their approaching, but said nothing; she merely pulled out a sandwich.

"Hey there, blondie," Bulk said in a demeaning tone as he tapped the table. "Want some company?"

Laura shook her head and silently bit into the sandwich, "No," she replied coolly. "Please go away."

Before Bulk or Skull could reply, Laura quickly gathered up her food and got up, "You can use the table if you want," she said as she walked towards the food line. "I'm really not that hungry today anyways."

"Hey, Laura, do you wanna sit with my friends and me?" Kimberly asked, eager to befriend Laura.

Laura was silent for a moment and her eyes rested on Jason, Billy, and Malcolm before she shook her head, "No, thank you," she replied in a soft voice. "I have some homework to catch up on. See you."

"Laura seems a little nervous around us," Aisha commented in a concerned voice as Laura left the crowded cafeteria. "Why was she so late to school and why was Lt. Stone carrying her bag today?"

Jason shrugged, "Jason, Malcolm, let's go make sure she's okay," Kimberly said, her instincts of all not being right with Laura suddenly kicking in. "Billy, Aisha, can you get us a little something to eat, please?"

Billy and Aisha nodded and determined to help Laura if she could, Kimberly led the bewildered Jason and Malcolm out of the crowded cafeteria. Something didn't feel right to her; not right at all.

* * *

"…It's really cold out here," Adam commented as he followed Tommy and Dr. Oliver out into the school courtyard after they had gone by their lockers to get their jackets. "Why did we come outside?"

Dr. Oliver smiled at Adam and Tommy, "The outdoors, away from people and distractions, is the safest place to deal with personal barriers," he said in a wise voice. "Do you feel safe out here, Adam?"

Adam nodded, but before he could reply, 10 Z-Putties appeared, blocking Dr. Oliver, Tommy, and Adam from the school, "What on earth are these things?" Dr. Oliver asked as he quickly backed away.

"Putties," Adam replied in a disgusted voice as he got into fighting stance. "They're always on the news."

The Putties immediately advanced on Tommy, "I don't watch the news often," Dr. Oliver replied in an unconvincing tone as he suddenly saw two of the Putties dropkick Tommy to the ground. "Tommy!"

Even though his mind wanted to get up and keep fighting, Tommy knew that his body was in enough pain that he couldn't move well without help. His head hurt from hitting it on the ground and his chest hurt from the dropkick delivered by the Putties. Adam quickly advanced on the Putties, but found that he kept jumping back every time one of them advanced. Dr. Oliver, meanwhile, was helping Tommy.

"_Fear will be your undoing,"_ a menacing voice suddenly rang out as the Putties vanished into thin air.

Dr. Oliver quickly knelt down next to Tommy, intending to see how badly injured his young nephew was before alerting proper authorities about the incident, "I'm sorry, I should have been a better fighter," Adam said in a remorseful voice as he walked slowly to where Dr. Oliver was kneeling beside Tommy.

"It's not your fault," Tommy said in a pained voice as he closed his eyes to block out the pain. "Oww."

Before Dr. Oliver could comment, the three were suddenly teleported from the courtyard in a flash.

* * *

"…They want to adopt you?" Billy asked, gazing at Malcolm in shock. "Jason's parents offered to adopt you because they want you to feel more like part of their family? How do you feel about that?"

Malcolm shrugged, not bothering to touch the cafeteria food on his tray or plate, "I told them at breakfast this morning that I'd think about it and let them know," he replied, not wanting to disrespect the memory of his parents by allowing his aunt and uncle to adopt him. "It's just hard to think of…"

_Beep, beep, boop, boop, beep, beep._

Frowning, Jason, Kimberly, Aisha, Malcolm, and Billy quickly stood up and hurried out of the cafeteria, "What is it, Alpha?" Jason asked quietly as they got into a quiet area and he raised his communicator.

"Rangers, report to the Command Center immediately!" Alpha's frantic voice replied. "Emergency!"

Taking a look around to make sure nobody was nearby, the five Rangers teleported out of the school.

* * *

"Tommy!" Kimberly exclaimed as the five Rangers materialized in the Command Center and immediately saw Dr. Oliver kneeling beside a cot where Tommy lay while Adam was lingering near Zordon's tube.

Kimberly immediately rushed over to the cot while Jason, Aisha, Billy, and Malcolm joined Adam at Zordon's tube, "Rangers, we have an emergency situation," Zordon explained. "Putties attacked Adam, Tommy, and Frank Oliver at Angel Grove High School just moments ago and that attack was meant to distract you from Zedd and Rita's latest plan to dominate the world; the plan is already in motion."

"What plan?" Aisha asked in a concerned voice. "I didn't think Lord Zedd was around anymore."

Zordon sighed, "While it is true that Lord Zedd was in another galaxy for some time, he has now returned with power that could destroy the Earth if unleashed," he replied gravely. "He has granted Zedison the ability to seek out the burial chamber of Ivan Ooze and open it. If Ivan Ooze is freed, the world as we know it will be in grave peril. Kimberly, you must go with Jason, Aisha, Billy, and Adam to the chamber to stop Zedison from opening the chamber. Malcolm, you and Tommy must stay here."

"Zordon, I don't understand," Malcolm said in a confused voice. "I could be of help to the others."

Suddenly a doorway opened and Alpha came rushing out, "Malcolm, you possess a power so great that even you do not know it yet," Zordon explained as Alpha hurried over to where Tommy lay. "You can fight against Zedison well enough, but if Ivan Ooze were to find you, he would overpower even you."

"I'm being selfish, though, if I stay," Malcolm replied. "The others could get hurt…"

Zordon sighed, "You are thinking with your heart, but your mind must tell you that you are not yet ready to meet Ivan face to face," he said in a gentle voice. "The others will be fine; you will have your chance."

"Alright," Malcolm replied, knowing that he should listen to Zordon's counsel. "Be careful, you guys."

Jason nodded and he, Aisha, Billy, and Adam walked over to Kimberly, Tommy, and Dr. Oliver, "Feel better soon, Tommy," Jason said as he looked at Dr. Oliver. "How do you even know of this place?"

"You five should get going," Dr. Oliver replied, pretending like he hadn't heard the question at all.

As the five Rangers teleported out of the Command Center, Dr. Oliver gazed down at Tommy silently.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Tommy opened his eyes only to find himself laying on a hospital gurney shirtless with bandages around his chest and an IV in his arm. There was a curtain around his bed that was suddenly pulled back, revealing a smiling nurse in scrubs with his uncle also standing there.

"How are you feeling, Tommy?" the nurse asked as she walked over to his bedside. "Any better?"

For a moment, Tommy was confused about how he ended up in a hospital bed from the Command Center and then it clicked; his uncle and Malcolm must have brought him here from the center.

"…Please, I'm fine," a distressed, yet very familiar voice suddenly interrupted them. "Lt. Stone…"

Dr. Oliver and Tommy exchanged a look as the nurse hurried out of the curtain, "…We had a deal, Laura," Lt. Stone's gentle, yet very firm voice replied. "You promised me that if I let you go to school today that you would come here after school. Your injuries won't heal if they remain untreated."

The curtain was suddenly pulled back and Tommy was surprised to see Laura Hammond laying on a hospital gurney with a gown and blanket covering her body. Lt. Stone was standing there holding her clothes and backpack, as was a distressed looking nurse. Tommy frowned at seeing the bruises on Laura's arms, neck, and collarbone area, but Laura said nothing and looked at her blanket.

"Aren't you the new girl in my class?" Tommy asked, trying to make Laura feel comfortable.

For a moment, Laura was silent and then looked up at Tommy, "Yes," she replied in a quiet voice. "I just moved to Angel Grove a few days ago from Los Angeles. Once I'm out of here, I'm going to be moving into the city shelter until I can get a job and enough money for an apartment. I don't know how long I'm going to be here, though; I'm really tired and sore right now. I've been that way for a while, I guess."

"Doctor Oliver, can I speak with you for a moment in private?" Lt. Stone asked, suddenly recognizing the school counselor. "Laura, don't try and run away while I'm gone, all right? Just relax and take it easy."

As Dr. Oliver and Lt. Stone walked off together, Tommy smiled at Laura, "I'm Tommy Oliver," he said in a gentle voice, suddenly feeling a headache coming on. "Why the shelter? You could live with family."

"Can I tell you a secret?" Laura asked in a quiet voice. "I came here from Los Angeles because Lt. Stone rescued me from an abusive situation. My parents both have problems with drugs and alcohol and they didn't treat me well because I wouldn't join them. I focused my time on taking care of my little sister, Ashley, and making sure both of us were okay. Lt. Stone is a friend of my father's and he came just a few days ago and was able to get me made an emancipated adult. Ashley's not old enough yet, though…"

Tommy frowned, "You had to leave your sister behind?" he asked, suddenly feeling angry that Laura's parents treated her so poorly. He winced again and was forced to lie back down on the pillow.

"When I'm old enough, I plan to apply for custody of her," Laura replied gently. "In the meantime, I'll do well in school and hopefully be able to go to the local college while Ashley goes to school."

Tommy sighed, "I'm sorry I'm not good company right now," he said as he gazed at her. "I'm in a lot of pain and I'm also worried about my girlfriend, Kimberly. She's out with some of my other friends."

Without warning, Dr. Oliver returned alone, smiled at Laura, and quickly drew the curtain, "Tommy, we have to go NOW," he hissed in an urgent voice. "We need to get back to that Command Center."

"Why?" Tommy asked, confused about how his uncle knew so much about it. "What's wrong?"

Dr. Oliver merely tossed Tommy his white tank top and overshirt, "Uncle Frank?" Tommy asked, slowly pulling off the gown and putting on the shirts. "Uncle Frank, why do we need to get out of here?"

"We have to warn them," is all Dr. Oliver would say in a whispered voice. "The time of crisis is coming."

* * *

All was quiet as Zedison and Katherine materialized in front of a large mound of dirt, one of many in the 'construction zone' of Angel Grove's newest development project. Zedison looked delighted at finding the area that had been indicated on the map. Katherine, however, looked confused and disgusted.

"The burial chamber is a dirt mound?" Katherine asked, not caring that she was dirtying her dress as she walked around the dirt, looking for an opening. "Brother, have our parents truly lost their minds?"

Zedison chuckled and with a flourish of his hand, the dirt swept away, revealing a large purple hand clenching a life-sized egg in it, "Is this Ivan Ooze some sort of humanoid bird?" Katherine asked in a regal, yet very confused voice, a look of alarm crossing her face as the hand suddenly opened.

Both Zedison and Katherine were silent as the egg cracked open and a purple being with clad entirely in purple clothing stepped out of the egg, "Greetings, I am Ivan Ooze," Ivan said, opening his arms.

"I am Zedison and this is Katherine," Zedison replied, gesturing to his sister. "We are the son and daughter of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. We have been sent to seek your power and wisdom."

Ivan looked amused, "Zedd and Rita have children," he said in an intrigued voice. "Tell me, why do you seek MY power if Rita and Zedd are your parents? They are very powerful beings, are they not?"

"The Power Rangers, led by Zordon of Eltar, have continually undermined them," Zedison replied.

Ivan suddenly looked angry, "I will deal with Zordon personally," he hissed. "YOU TWO FIND THE POWER RANGERS AND CRUSH THEM LIKE THE BUGS THEY ARE! After that is done, we will go see your parents."

As Ivan teleported away, Zedison and Kat looked at each other, "Zordon has most likely ordered them here," Katherine said in a low voice. "If we remain here, we are more likely to meet them in battle."

* * *

The quietness of the Command Center was unnerving to Malcolm as he sat on the cot, deep in thought about why Zordon had ordered him to stay there while the five original Rangers had gone to search for Ivan Ooze's chamber and Tommy had gone to the hospital with Dr. Oliver. Why did he alone have to stay?

"Malcolm, you must hide in the Chamber of Light," Zordon suddenly said, appearing in his tube.

A look of alarm crossed Malcolm's face as he stood up and faced Zordon, "Ivan Ooze has been freed by Zedison and another warrior," Zordon explained to the nervous teen. "If he finds you, he will not hesitate to either kill you or force you under his control. Alpha, take Malcolm into the chamber."

"What about you?" Malcolm asked as Alpha hurried over to him. "Ivan will destroy you, won't he?"

Zordon sighed, "There is no time to waste," he replied gravely. "Ivan is already on his way here now."

Alpha whimpered and quickly hustled Malcolm into the Chamber, "This should keep you safe," Alpha said as he began to close the door, only to be given a concerned look by Malcolm. "I must stay here."

As the Chamber Door closed, Alpha turned and saw purple slime oozing through the Command Center door and he suddenly whimpered, "It's so good to be out of that chamber," Ivan said in a menacing voice as he materialized inside the Command Center. "Ah, hello Alpha and Zordon! Did you miss me?"

"You will not get away with this, Ivan," Zordon said in a weary voice. "The Rangers will stop you."

Ivan cackled and raised his hands, his eyes full of excitement as he blasted the tubes around the center into fragments, "Is your power source hiding in here, Zordon?" he asked menacingly, suddenly sensing that Alpha and Zordon were not alone. "Are you trying to count on it to protect you from harm?"

Realizing that Ivan already knew of Malcolm's presence, Alpha pushed Ivan hard, nearly knocking the purple monster to the floor. Unfortunately for Alpha, Ivan was stronger and merely zapped the little robot full of enough power that Alpha collapsed in a heap at Ivan's feet. Ivan then turned to Zordon.

"Say goodnight!" Ivan crowed as he extended his hands and shot lightning bolts at Zordon's tube.

As Zordon's tube exploded, Malcolm gripped the wall that separated him from the rest of the Command Center to keep himself from collapsing. It was if Ivan was trying to break him, not Zordon, into pieces.

"As for that power source, I'll leave him a little GIFT!" Malcolm heard Ivan shout. "TAKE THAT!"

Suddenly, Malcolm felt a surge of evil power fill the Command Center and he promptly collapsed.

* * *

All was quiet as Jason, Kimberly, Aisha, Adam, and Billy materialized at the construction area where Ivan Ooze's burial chamber was supposed to be. They were dismayed to find an open hand and an open egg.

"We're too late," Jason commented as he approached the open egg. "Someone already let him out."

Kimberly winced as she looked at the purple slime, "Ew," she commented, throwing her hands up.

"Now that Ivan's free, we have to figure out how to find him," Billy said in a concerned voice. "I'm sure there's something either at my lab or at the Command Center that can help us find Ivan and stop him."

Aisha nodded, but Adam sighed, "I'm still feeling guilty over the fact that Tommy got hurt because I wasn't brave enough to act," Adam said in a sorrowful voice. "Those Putties really beat him up."

"Now's not the time to focus on that, Adam," Jason cut in. "We need to get out of here and find Ivan."

Suddenly, an amused cackle rang out, "Leaving so soon, Rangers?" Zedison asked as he came out from behind the remnants of the dirt pile with Katherine at his heels. "Have you met my sister, Katherine?"

"What do you want, Zedison?" Jason asked in a mean voice. "We already know you freed Ivan Ooze."

Zedison cackled, "I wouldn't try and Morph if I were you," he said in a menacing voice. "Ivan has already been to the Command Center and your precious powers are all gone. Now the world will be ours."

"Yeah right!" Jason replied in a disbelieving voice as he pulled out his Morpher. "Tyrannosaurus!"

Nothing happened and Zedison cackled, "Goodbye Powerless Rangers!" he hooted. "Nice knowing you!"

As Zedison and Katherine vanished, the five Rangers quickly ran off towards the Command Center.


	16. Destruction and Reconstruction

Sparks exploded out of the consoles as Jason, Kimberly, Aisha, Adam, and Billy materialized in the Command Centre. They saw that everything was destroyed and that Zordon was lying flat, talking quietly with a concerned looking Dr. Oliver. There was, eerily enough, no sign of Tommy or Malcolm.

"Zordon!" Aisha said in an anxious voice as she hurried over to him. "What happened?"

Zordon took a deep breath and merely closed his eyes, "Zordon has to conserve his energy if he has any hope of surviving, Aisha," Dr. Oliver explained in a gentle voice. "He asked me to serve as a guide to help you prepare for your journey. First, however, we must get Tommy to help us find Malcolm and Alpha."

"Uncle Frank, I got Alpha working again!" Tommy suddenly shouted as he came out of a back passageway with a trembling Alpha. It was then that Tommy noticed the side passageway was open.

Alpha whimpered, "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" he said, seeing Malcolm lying unconscious in the Chamber hallway.

Tommy frowned and hurried into the chamber, "Malcolm!" he said in an alarmed voice. "Malcolm?"

"Ooze was here," Malcolm said as he slowly sat up and faced Tommy. "He knew I was here too."

Ignoring the pain that radiated throughout his body, Malcolm slowly got to his feet and walked out into the Command Center, "Doctor Oliver, what are you doing here?" he asked, seeing Dr. Oliver there.

"We have very limited time," Dr. Oliver replied crisply. "You have a long journey ahead of you, Rangers."

Jason frowned, "How did you know we're all Rangers?" he asked Dr. Oliver. "Did Tommy tell you?"

"There will be much time for explanations later, Jason," Dr. Oliver replied. "Now that Ivan Ooze has destroyed your ability to morph and use your Zords, the Earth is defenseless. So that you do not lose the ability to hold new powers, you seven must now leave the Earth and go where powers await you."

Malcolm suddenly looked solemn, "We might not make it back, guys," he said, quickly understanding that the second part of his wish granted to him by Rita's coin was about to come true. "I don't know where we're going, but it's very far away. If we don't go, the Earth will have nobody to protect it."

"There is just enough power to send you all wherever you are meant to go," Alpha said as he examined the badly damaged consoles. "Maybe if you all give me your Power Coins, I can use the energy left in them to protect the Command Center and Zordon from further harm while you're on Phaedos."

Billy frowned, "Phaedos?" he asked, suddenly giving Dr. Oliver a glare. "Will we ever come back?"

"That I don't know," Dr. Oliver replied solemnly. "All I can say is to be very careful and stick together."

One by one, Jason, Billy, Adam, Kimberly, Aisha, Tommy, and Malcolm gave their Power Coins to Alpha, who put them into slots beside the console, "Join hands so that you'll all end up in the same place," Dr. Oliver instructed, frowning at how tired both Tommy and Malcolm looked. "Please be safe, all of you."

"When you are meant to come back, you will," Zordon suddenly spoke as the seven Rangers joined hands and looked heavenward. "Please hurry, Rangers. I do not know how much longer I can…"

Dr. Oliver frowned and quickly hurried over to Zordon as Alpha programmed the co-ordinates to Phaedos into the computer, "There is rumor of help on Phaedos that will give you what you need to find a power greater than what was lost," Alpha explained in a worried voice. "I hope you can find the help."

"Jason, Kimberly, Aisha, Tommy, Malcolm, Billy, and Adam, please remember the importance of working together and using common sense," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as the Rangers all joined hands.

Alpha whimpered and quickly pressed the button that would send them on their way. As the seven Rangers teleported out of the Command Center, Dr. Oliver sighed and gazed solemnly at Zordon.

* * *

The dark, musty décor of the Moon Palace delighted Ivan, "What a nice little palace," he said in a mocking manner as he followed Zedison and Katherine into the throne room where a slowly recovering Zedd and Rita were waiting. "Ah, these must be your parents! Zedd, Rita; you've aged HORRIBLY!"

"The Rangers were sent to Phaedos!" Rita yelled in an angry voice as she hurried away from the telescope where she had just observed Dr. Oliver and Alpha helping the Rangers. "Some civilian and that annoying little robot gave them enough power to make the journey to that planet! What if the legends are true and the Rangers find help there? Our plan to destroy the Peace Conference will be-"

Rita was suddenly cut off because Ivan covered her mouth with a glob of purple goop, "And how do you think you are going to help me with my plan?" Zedd grunted weakly. "What power do you have?"

Ivan grinned maliciously and quickly zapped Zedd into unconsciousness, "Now that your parents are taking a well-deserved rest, you two can help me," Ivan said as he turned to face Zedison and Katherine with the scariest expression on his face. "Are any Power Rangers at this Peace Conference on Earth?"

"There are two," Zedison replied, not knowing that those powers had been transferred to others.

Ivan nodded, "You and I will go and get these Rangers," he said. "Katherine, guard your parents."

As Ivan and Zedison vanished, Katherine gazed at her speechless mother, reached down, and pulled the tiny Orb of Doom from her father's hand. Rita's eyes widened, but her muffled scolding went ignored.

"I will destroy the other Rangers myself," Katherine whispered, staring at the small orb. "To Phaedos."

Before she could act however, Rita collapsed from lack of oxygen. Kat smirked and took the staff from Rita's weak grip, caressing it as she held it; the power from Rita's staff and the Orb would help her.

* * *

"Master Ooze, Katherine is preparing to travel to Phaedos to deal with the Rangers," Zedison said as he and Ooze appeared near the city in Switzerland where the World Peace Conference was taking place.

Instead of becoming angry, however, Ivan cackled, "Your sister has quite the ambitions!" he crowed as he waved his hands, suddenly causing feathered monsters to appear. "Tengu, go and assist Katherine!"

"Master, I also sense that Katherine has stolen the Orb of Doom from my father and my mother's staff," Zedison continued as the Tengu quickly departed. "She is being impulsive with no plan at all—"

Ivan grinned, "She is a woman of power," he replied simply. "Let us focus on our own task first and then we can see how Katherine is faring. Now, these Power Rangers at the conference; who are they?"

"According to what I have observed, there are three of them," Zedison replied, having observed them socializing through his mother's telescope. "Their names are Trini Kwan, Zack Taylor, and Rocky…"

Ivan nodded, "Perhaps these three can help us," he said in a wise voice. "On we go to victory!"

* * *

Blue sky loomed above as the seven Rangers landed in a heap on a rocky surface of Phaedos and dark clouds immediately gathered, as if the spirits of the long forgotten planet were welcoming them.

"This is Phaedos?" Kimberly asked, gazing around and suddenly spotting the edge of the surface.

Suddenly hearing the sound of running water, Jason quickly hurried across the surface and gazed downward, "Guys, there's a waterfall and a huge body of water down there!" he said in an excited voice.

"We should try to find a way down to the lower area," Billy cut in. "Since we don't know where we're going or how long we're going to be here, we need to find resources to help us survive out here."

As thunder rumbled overhead, Tommy winced and placed a hand on his forehead, "Guys, I'm starting to feel a little nauseous," he said in a distressed tone. "Maybe I'd better wait up here for a little bit."

"Tommy, I'm not feeling that well either, but we have to stick together," Malcolm argued in a very tired voice as he ignored the trembling in his arms and legs. "We'll just go slow and help each other get to where we can have some of the water. Kimberly, maybe you and Jason should help Tommy walk."

Jason shook his head, "I'm helping you," he said in a firm voice. "Kimberly and Billy can help Tommy."

"Jason, I'll help you with Malcolm," Aisha offered, deeply concerned by how pale Malcolm looked.

Adam gazed up at the sky, "Maybe we should focus on finding shelter first?" he suggested just as heavy rain began to fall from the sky. "Once we're in a safer place, I can go looking for food and water."

"You're not going ANYWHERE!" a menacing voice suddenly shouted from the sky. "I HAVE YOU NOW!"

Katherine quickly descended with an army of ten Tengu warriors, blocking the Rangers from the remainder of the rocky surface, "Meet Master Ooze's Tengu," she said, brandishing Rita's staff.

"There's nothing here for you to want," Aisha spoke up, quickly assuming fighting stance.

Katherine looked amused at Aisha's fighting stance, "Ah, the Yellow Ranger wants to play games, does she?" she said, quickly whipping out the Orb of Doom. "Games are for children and children are young."

"Don't even try it!" Kimberly shouted anxiously, jumping in front of Aisha to protect her.

Katherine cackled and used Rita's staff to shoot energy at Kimberly, causing the frightened Pink Ranger to fly backwards and off of the cliff, "KIM!" Tommy shouted, his headache forgotten as he rushed after her and dived off the cliff to try and save his girlfriend. Katherine cackled, looking very amused.

"As you want to play games, you should be a child," Kat chanted waving the Orb of Doom back and forth in front of Aisha. "Instead of being in the wild, you should be back on Earth and remember nothing."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and Aisha screamed as she was swallowed up and vanished into the Orb of Doom, "AISHA!" Malcolm screamed, his hidden feelings for her suddenly becoming clear.

"Oh, the poor orphan had feelings for the Yellow Ranger?" Katherine asked in a mocking voice. "Perhaps a trip would help you to forget about her! Tengu, toss this poor orphan away like the scum that he is!"

Three of the Tengu quickly advanced on Malcolm, who fought back as much as he could before they grabbed him and dragged him towards the edge of the cliff. Jason, Billy, and Adam tried to go after them, but the other Tengu quickly got in the way. Malcolm, meanwhile, fought hard and temporarily broke free before the other Tengu kicked him hard to the ground, rendering him unconscious.

"I bid you farewell, Rangers," Kat said as she pocketed the Orb and quickly vanished using Rita's staff.

Just as Malcolm was tossed over the cliff, Jason, Adam, and Billy tried their best to fend off the Tengu but were not doing well and quickly tiring due to their lack of powers. Jason finally broke free and started towards the cliff's edge, but a Tengu caught him by the foot and dropkicked him to the ground.

Suddenly, as Adam and Billy were about to collapse from exhaustion, a cloaked figure suddenly climbed up the waterfall and whipped off her cloak, revealing a woman in a ragged ninja outfit with a large staff in her hands. The woman quickly snapped her stick in half and began whipping the pieces at the Tengu.

Alarmed, the Tengu quickly flew off, "Jason, are you okay?" Billy asked as he ran over to where Jason lay struggling to remain conscious after hitting his head on the rocks. "We have to find the others."

"We already lost Aisha, we can't lose anyone else," Jason said in a pained voice, wincing as he sat up and saw Adam and the woman standing nearby. "Thank you for helping us, but what were those things?"

The woman regarded Jason silently and then frowned, "You're bleeding," she commented in a concerned voice as she looked at Adam and Billy. "Your other friends landed in the water; go and rescue them. I will bring your other friend down to the lower land and there we will have a long talk."

"How do we get down there, though?" Billy asked, not wanting to swim. "It's a long way down."

The woman sighed, "Follow me, the three of you," she said in a patient voice. "I will help you."

Not daring to argue with the woman, as she was armed and they weren't, Billy and Adam helped Jason to his feet and the three of them followed the woman across the rocks towards a rough dirt trail.

None of them spoke, as they feared the woman, but they all hoped that the others were still alive.

* * *

The ground began to tremble as Rocky, Trini, and Zack walked across the large pavilion towards the building where their first planning discussion would be. The previous day had merely been a gathering for all the chosen delegates to introduce themselves and explain who they were representing there.

Now, since the Conference was in December, the delegates needed to get to work planning what world issues would be discussed. At the moment, however, Trini, Zack, Rocky, and the many other delegates who were heading to the same meeting all struggled to keep from falling over as the ground quaked.

Ivan and Zedison suddenly appeared before Rocky, Zack, and Trini, "Surprise!" Ivan said in a maliciously amused voice as he waved his hand and caused the other delegates to freeze in their tracks. "Well, now, these don't look like Power Rangers to me, but they'll do. You will now serve me, Ivan, Master of Evil."

"Are Rita and Zedd history?" Zack asked in a confused voice. "Who is this ugly purple dude, anyway?"

Ivan scowled and Zedison waved his staff at Trini, "Are you saying you have no power?" Zedison asked in a grave voice as Trini suddenly collapsed, but remained awake. "You MUST help us find the power!"

"We must do nothing," Trini said as she slowly got to her feet and glared at Zedison. "We are free…"

Zedison scowled, "What you are free to do, Trini, is _die_," he said as he transformed his staff into a black dagger and quickly stabbed Trini right in the heart. "Master Ooze, what shall we do with the others?"

"We must go back to Angel Grove and start preparations for world domination," Ivan replied in an upset voice. "These mortals are powerless, so let them be. Angel Grove is where my greater power is hidden."

Zedison nodded and glared at Rocky, Zack, and Trini, "I send you back to Angel Grove not out of mercy, but so you can witness its demise," he said in a deep voice. "Go now and may your suffering be brief."

As Zack, Rocky, and Trini disappeared, Ivan and Zedison unfroze the crowd before disappearing.

* * *

The rain was still falling heavily as Adam and Billy pulled Tommy and Kimberly from the water and helped them on to higher ground. Jason was further out in the water helping a semiconscious Malcolm as Malcolm was too weak and didn't know how to swim anyway. The woman watched all this silently.

"Why have you come to Phaedos?" the woman asked as Jason neared the bank with Malcolm. "There is nothing here that would be of interest to you six young people. Wait a minute, weren't there seven?"

As Jason helped him from the water, Malcolm nodded, "This woman named Katherine attacked us and took Aisha into some sort of keychain," he said, coughing from being in the rain and water for so long.

"Again, why have you come here?" the woman asked in a concerned voice. "It is dangerous here."

Kimberly sighed as she helped Tommy to sit on a rock, "Our leader Zordon was hurt by some creature named Ivan Ooze," she explained in a worried voice. "Tommy's uncle and Alpha helped us come here because they said there would be help for us here. Ivan also destroyed our powers and our Zords."

"Ivan Ooze?" the woman asked, frowning at the poor physical conditions of the six people standing before her before sighing deeply. "I am Dulcea, guardian of the Ninjetti Temple and its Master."

Tommy suddenly sneezed and winced, "You are in no shape to meet Ninjor right now," Dulcea stated firmly as she brandished her stick towards another nearby trail. "The Ninjetti Temple is for warriors and those who have strength, courage, and the desire to help others. You have lost all of those things."

"Can you help us find them again?" Malcolm asked, suddenly feeling as if he had met Dulcea before even though she seemed unfazed by him. "We need help to find Aisha and stop Ivan Ooze's plan."

Dulcea sighed, "I will try," she replied, intrigued by Malcolm's spirit. "Gather together and follow me."

Kimberly helped Tommy to his feet while Jason helped Malcolm to stay upright. Adam and Billy quickly joined them near the rock where Tommy had been sitting. Dulcea smiled, impressed by their teamwork.

"Let us go to the Ninjetti Temple," Dulcea said in a commanding voice. "Difficult journeys await you all."

* * *

It was nearly dusk when Laura finally arrived at the Angel Grove shelter with her clothes and a small box of things that Lt. Stone had gotten for her from the emergency supplies that the city kept on hand for those citizens who had nothing but the clothes on their back. The shelter was surprisingly empty.

Wondering where everyone was and why no administrative staffers were around to help get her settled, Laura carried her box over to a bed near the window and sat. She was very tired, but finally safe.

As Laura contemplated whether or not to sleep or find some place to eat dinner, the ground suddenly began to shake violently. Alarmed, Laura set her box on the bed and rushed towards the front doorway of the shelter to wait out the quake. She suddenly saw a young girl with long, braided hair lying unconscious in the bushes wearing oversized jeans, a yellow-shirt, and shoes that were too big.

"Little girl?" Laura asked in a concerned voice as she approached the girl. "Are you okay, little one?"

For a moment, the girl didn't respond and then she slowly sat up, "My name is Aisha," she said in a quiet voice, strangely enough comforted by Laura's presence. "Why is the ground shaking? It's a little scary."

"Um, why don't we go inside where it's safe?" Laura suggested, trying not to think of how much Aisha reminded her of Ashley even though Ashley was white and Aisha was black. "I won't hurt you, okay?"

Aisha nodded and held out her hands, allowing Laura to gently pull the young girl to her feet, "I'm sure we can find you some better clothes inside somewhere," Laura said as she gently pulled Aisha close.

As Laura led Aisha back towards the shelter, the ground stopped quaking and Rocky and Zack suddenly appeared in the street holding a badly wounded Trini in their arms. Laura immediately stepped back.

"Please, you have to help our friend," Rocky said, suddenly seeing that they were at the Angel Grove shelter. "We were helping plan a peace conference and she was hurt very badly with a knife."

Laura frowned, but nodded and slowly led Zack, Trini, Rocky, and Aisha into the safety of the shelter.

* * *

How about some reviews? Pretty please?


	17. Embracing Death and Sudden Courage

'CITY-WIDE MEETING TONIGHT FOR ADULTS ONLY' was displayed across the roof of the Angel Grove City Hall and parents from all over Angel Grove parked their vehicles in every available space all over town and walked up the pristine sidewalk to the meeting.

Jason's parents, Billy's father, Aisha's parents, Trini's parents, and Rocky's parents were among those who had decided to come to the meeting. Bulk and Skull, though not technically adults, had snuck into the meeting with the thought of free food.

It didn't take long for everyone who had chosen to come to fill the meeting hall and Ivan, who was disguised as a handsome looking business man with a purple suit and tie, immediately stepped up to the podium and gestured to his 'helper' Mark to dim the lights. Mark did and then quietly lingered nearby.

"Greetings parents of Angel Grove," Ivan said in a deep voice. "I am, as of this moment, the new ruler of Angel Grove and eventually the universe. My assistant will now help you to accept my leadership."

Zedison stepped forward and began throwing piles of Ooze at the crowd. At first, there were murmurs of disgust and confusion at the ooze, but as people touched the purple substance, their faces became expressionless and their bodies all became rigid, "Parents of Angel Grove!" Ooze crowed. "You are now my mindless slaves and I order you to gather me every source of power in this wretched city!"

Silence filled the meeting room as all the adults rose from their seats and silently filed out of the city hall, intending to bring anything they could to satisfy their leader. Ivan grinned at Zedison; their plan was going well so far and once they had all the power in the city, they could first destroy the Command Center and then what was good in the world.

* * *

Only the faintest of light was left in the sky by the time the group made it to the Ninjetti Temple.

The Temple itself was a large, brown cinderblock structure that was a single story high and was adorned with ancient symbols and markings both on the columns and the walls. There were seven small steps that led up to the temple and the entrance was a single door decorated with a carving of a star.

"Welcome to the Ninjetti Temple," Dulcea said in a gentle voice as she approached the building.

Although the rain had stopped, Jason, Kimberly, Adam, and Billy were all exhausted from walking through the jungle in wet clothes with nothing to eat or drink. However, none of them complained and they had merely put their energy into helping Malcolm and Tommy, who were in much worse shape.

Understanding that the six had used most of their energy to get there, Dulcea silently led them inside the Temple and into a small room that was just to the left of the main entrance. The room was small, but contained seven small beds covered with red, gold, blue, yellow, pink, orange, and black blankets.

The room also had a small table in the corner where a large covered tray, a large pitcher of steaming liquid, and seven cups sat, as if Ninjor and Dulcea had been expecting visitors for the longest time.

"Rest tonight and in the morning, I will prepare you to meet Ninjor," Dulcea said in a gentle voice as the six Rangers entered the room. "As you take care of yourselves, your clothes will become dry again."

As Dulcea left the room, the door closed behind her, "I have to lie down," Tommy moaned, suddenly feeling ready to faint from the pain and nausea he had been feeling all day. "Kimberly, help me."

"Guys, let's have something to eat and then go to sleep," Jason said, immediately assuming a leadership role since Tommy did not have the strength to. "We need our strength to listen to Dulcea tomorrow."

Kimberly, however, helped Tommy over to the bed with the red blanket, "I'm sorry, but I really need to lie down," Tommy said in an apologetic voice as Kimberly pushed back the cover. "I feel so weak."

Billy walked over to the table and lifted the lid, revealing seven small bowls of soup, "I'll bring you your food and drink, Tommy," he said as he picked up one of the cups and a bowl and brought it over to the bed where Kimberly was helping Tommy to stay sitting up. "Malcolm, do you need help too?"

"I'll wait," Malcolm replied in a quiet voice, suddenly feeling guilty about all that had happened to them.

Jason slowly moved to the table, picked up a bowl and cup, and offered them to Adam, "We all need our strength for tomorrow," he said, smiling as Adam took the items. "Billy, Kim, come and get your food."

"They can have mine," Malcolm suddenly cut in. "I was responsible for bringing us here, so I don't eat."

Both confused and concerned by Malcolm's words, Jason, Kimberly, Tommy, Billy, and Adam all exchanged looks before looking at Malcolm, "What are you talking about?" Billy finally asked.

"That was the second part of the wish I made with Rita's coin," Malcolm replied, dropping his gaze to the stone floor. "Besides wishing for help to come to the Power Rangers, I also wished that the holders of the power would be protected from harm if anyone ever tried to destroy the source of their power."

Before anyone could reply, Malcolm quietly walked over to the bed with the orange cover and sat on it, taking great care to face the wall, "It's my fault that we lost Aisha," he said in a quiet voice as he lay down facing the wall so that nobody would see his tears. "My decision has destroyed the team."

"Why are you laying facing the wall?" Adam asked, suddenly wondering why Malcolm's voice full of more pain than any of them could see. "Malcolm, were you injured during that fight with the Tengu?"

Malcolm sighed and winced as he sat up, "I'm not sure," he replied softly. "I fell pretty hard and I think my left shoulder might have popped out of place during my fight with those Tengu things. I might have also scraped my legs up a bit when I was dragged across the rocks. I'm sorry I got so mad at you all…"

"My dad's a paramedic and I've taken advanced first aid, so let me see," Jason said, quickly walking over to Malcolm's bed and quickly checked Malcolm's left shoulder. "Yep, it's popped neatly out of place."

Malcolm nodded, "Pop it back in," he said, gritting his teeth. "I know it'll hurt, but do it anyway."

Jason nodded and was shocked when Malcolm didn't utter so much as a peep as his shoulder was popped back into place, "Now you need some food," Jason said calmly. "Just rest your arm a bit."

Guilt filled Malcolm's heart as he watched Jason walk over to the table and get a bowl of soup and a cup and come back; Jason was still soaking wet, hadn't eaten, and still had the desire to care for others first.

* * *

Even though she could feel the life slowly slipping out of her, Trini smiled as Laura tucked her into one of the empty beds in the common sleep area of the shelter, "I hope your friends and Aisha can find some food," Laura said in a worried voice as she knelt beside Trini's bed. "I tried 9-1-1, but no answer."

"There's not really anything anyone can do for me at this point," Trini said in a faint voice, feeling sadness over her premature death, but also relief that she could die being cared for by good, compassionate people like Rocky, Zack, Aisha, and the kind young woman sitting by her bed. "I don't know you, but you make me feel better about dying. How on earth did Aisha get so young, though?"

Keeping in mind that Trini was most likely in a lot of pain and was bound to say things that didn't make a lot of sense, Laura sighed and gently caressed Trini's hand, "It'll be all right," she said in a soothing voice, comforted by Trini's smile. "My name is Laura Hammond and I moved to Angel Grove from Los Angeles."

"Los Angeles?" Trini repeated softly. "I was in Switzerland with Zack and Rocky…at a Peace Conference."

Before Laura, who was confused by Trini's words, could think of a reply, Rocky and Zack came back into the main room with Aisha, who was carrying a small plastic bowl of noodles with a spoon in it.

"This soup stuff was all we could find in the kitchen," Zack explained in a worried voice as Aisha handed the soup to Laura. "Did you try phoning emergency services for Trini? Is an ambulance coming?"

Laura sighed and took the spoon filled with noodles out, "I couldn't get a hold of anyone," she replied in a solemn voice as she gazed at the dried blood on Trini's chest. "You say she was stabbed? Where?"

Zack and Rocky exchanged a look, as they couldn't tell the truth about Zedison and risk getting into a conversation about the identities of the Power Rangers, "I suppose it doesn't matter, though," Laura suddenly continued in a soft voice. "Everyone's got secrets they like to keep buried; myself included."

"Zordon," Trini weakly spoke, suddenly feeling her life force slipping away. "Zordon, please; I need you."

* * *

"Trini," Zordon said in a faint voice as his eyes suddenly opened. "I feel you suffering, Trini."

Dr. Oliver looked up from the computer console he was repairing, "Zordon?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Doctor Oliver, can you contact the Rangers on Phaedos?" Zordon asked weakly. "I need one of them to go and find Trini; she is dying and needs help. I sense that there are also others in danger with her."

Even though Alpha would have been a better choice to see if such contact was possible, Dr. Oliver silently went over to the Viewing Globe and quickly saw that Trini was at the Angel Grove Shelter and being cared for by Rocky, Zack, a small child, and a civilian girl, "Alpha!" he shouted anxiously.

"What is it, Doctor Oliver?" Alpha asked in an anxious voice as he came out of the Chamber of Light.

Dr. Oliver gestured to the Viewing Globe, "Zordon wanted me to contact the Rangers on Phaedos, but I don't think there's enough power," he explained in a worried voice. "However, I do wonder if it would be possible to transport Trini and those taking care of her here? It would keep them safe from harm."

"Maybe," Alpha replied as he hurried over to one of the few consoles that was working and studied it to see what power was available. "If we used some of the power from the Power Coins, they could be transported here safely. It would, however, put your own powers at risk for being depleted."

Dr. Oliver nodded, "I know," he said, silently praying that the Rangers would return very soon.

"I'll do it quickly," Alpha replied as he worked on the console. "Your courage is admirable."

Dr. Oliver fought the urge to chuckle; he wasn't courageous at all. He just wanted to help how he could.

* * *

Six empty bowls and six empty cups littered the small table and while six of the seven beds were occupied, only Tommy and Malcolm were sound asleep. Jason sat upright in his bed, silently wondering why everything seemed to come in sevens within the Temple. Were seven needed to move forward?

"Jason, are you still awake?" Kimberly asked, gazing over at the gold bed that Jason occupied.

Jason nodded, "Whatever was in that drink is making me tired, though," he said in an amused voice as he noticed Kim's worried expression. "I'm just thinking about why everything seems to come in groups of seven here; do we need another person in order to truly get the help that is offered at this temple?"

"Without Aisha, we're only six," Kimberly whispered, being careful not to wake Tommy or Malcolm.

Jason sighed and gazed over to where Adam and Billy were laying in their black and blue beds with their eyes closed, "Maybe tomorrow we'll be given an idea of how we're supposed to move forward," he said in a tired voice, fighting the urge to yawn. "We just have to keep hope alive, Kim; for Zordon's sake."

"For Zordon's sake," Kimberly whispered as Jason lay down. "We just have to keep our hopes alive."

* * *

Laura nearly screamed as she, Rocky, Zack, Trini, and Aisha touched down in the damaged Command Center and saw Zordon lying on the damaged warp tube. However, Aisha screamed loudly.

"What is this scary place?" Aisha whimpered, unaware that Alpha was nearby and had suddenly realized that she had forgotten everything about being a Ranger because of some spell. "Laura, I'm scared."

Nodding, Laura gently patted Aisha's shoulder, "Stay here with Rocky and Zack a minute," she said as she walked over to where Zordon lay. "Sir, what happened to you? Why do you look so sick?"

"My dear child, my name is Zordon," Zordon spoke, gazing at Laura. "This place was attacked…"

As Zordon coughed, Dr. Oliver came out of a back chamber, "Miss Hammond," he said as he approached Laura with a smile on his face. "I'm Doctor Oliver and I do believe you go to Angel Grove High, yes?"

"What is this place?" Laura asked as she watched Zack and Rocky carry Trini over to the cot.

Dr. Oliver walked over to her, "This is the Command Center for the Power Rangers," he explained, frowning as Laura took a step back. "You seem to be unusually afraid of adults. Why is that?"

"Laura?" Trini suddenly asked in a weak voice, prompting Laura to run over to where Trini lay.

Alpha suddenly came out of the Chamber of Light and saw Trini lying there, slowly dying. Aisha's eyes went wide at the sight of Alpha and she fainted, "Alpha," Trini said, smiling at seeing the robot.

"Trini was stabbed by Zedison at the Peace Conference in Switzerland," Zack explained in a worried voice as Alpha approached Trini. "We were ambushed by Ivan Ooze and Zedison unexpectedly; they thought we were still Rangers and when we said we weren't, they stabbed Trini and disappeared."

Laura gasped, "The Power Rangers are real?" she asked in a shocked voice as she knelt down next to where Aisha lay unconscious. "I had heard stories, but I assumed that they were just mythical…"

"You needed something to believe in, Laura," Alpha suddenly piped up. "You may not know this, but Zordon and I have kept an eye on you since you were little and you had reason to need hope."

Swallowing hard, Laura nodded and gently brushed Aisha's forehead, "Aisha will be fine," Dr. Oliver said, suddenly realizing that Laura had just as dark a past as Tommy and Adam. "Trini, however, will not."

"Someone take my life force and go to Phaedos," Trini whispered. "A Yellow Ranger is now needed."

Zack took Trini's hand, "Laura, you should go," he said, gazing at Rocky. "You have a good heart."

"I don't know how to be a Power Ranger!" Laura said in an anxious voice. "They are brave, right?"

Rocky nodded, but smiled, "Laura, you showed courage in taking care of Aisha and in taking care of Trini," he replied, knowing that Laura was the better choice to go to Phaedos than he and to take possession of whatever powers were there. "Alpha, is there any way to send her there?"

"Laura, give this to Jason for me," Trini suddenly spoke, holding out a small Praying Mantis necklace to her. "It was given to me by a friend who I had deeply cared for."

Zack smiled, "Oh, I remember that," he commented. "Jason gave that to Trini a while back when they started going out. It was a symbol of her success within the martial arts."

"I'll give it to him," Laura said as she took the necklace and pocketed it. "How will I find them all?"

Dr. Oliver smiled, "When you arrive, you'll be found," he replied. "Trust the other Rangers; they will help you be able to accomplish what you need to. Don't be afraid to face your past to embrace the future."

"If you are to go, it must be now," Alpha said as he hurried over to a power console. "Are you ready?"

Laura nodded and Trini suddenly closed her eyes, taking a final breath, "May the Power protect you," Zordon said in a faint voice as Laura vanished from the Command Center. "May the Earth be saved."

* * *

The streets of Angel Grove were filled with zombified parents carrying anything that conducted electricity to help Ivan achieve whatever he needed to. Ivan had made himself a nice little seat atop of the Centennial statue in the park and was gleeful over the destruction caused by gathering items.

Zedison stood next to the statue in clad in his Silver Ninja outfit to show both authority and the fact that he served as a protector to Ivan Ooze. He thought his parents had been killed by Ooze, otherwise he would have fought to the death against the one who was now trying to take over the world.

"Brother, Master Ooze, I come bearing news," Katherine said as she suddenly appeared in the park.

Ivan looked intrigued, "How was your trip to Phaedos, Katherine?" he asked, gazing down at her.

"I stole the Orb of Doom from my father and used it to turn the Yellow Ranger into a child when she tried to fight me," Katherine replied evilly. "She is now somewhere in Angel Grove with few memories."

Ivan cackled, "Now the Rangers can't strive for the help from that freaky Ninja Master," he hooted. "What of the Tengu Warriors? Were they capable of destroying the other Powerless Rangers?"

"Some warrior woman came and whipped them with a staff," Katherine replied. "They ran away."

Ivan growled, "Dulcea," he hissed. "No matter; there are only six and that is not enough."

"I should assume my cat form and observe the Command Center," Katherine replied. "Who is to say that those mentors to the Rangers will not try and send someone to become the seventh Ranger?"

Ivan frowned, "There is not enough power," he replied crisply. "However, I do want you to wait near the center for the Rangers to return from Phaedos. When they come back, use that Orb to finish them off."

"I will," Katherine replied in a firm voice. She, however, planned to return to Phaedos and search again. Nothing was said, fortunately, as Katherine vanished from view.

* * *

Stars filled the sky of Phaedos and all was quiet. The rain had stopped and the air was cold because of a light wind that had cropped up, but otherwise, all was peaceful both near and away the Temple.

A howling wind cropped up just as Laura touched down on the rocky surface and she immediately shivered, as she was cold even in her jeans, jacket, shirt, and shoes. Her eyes travelled up to the stars and, for a moment, she was lost in their beauty. She then began to feel pain and sank to her knees.

"I'm so tired," Laura whispered; she had not been given a chance to rest at the hospital and had refused to eat any of the food offered because she felt horrible about being safe while Ashley was stuck in a bad situation. She wondered if the Power Rangers were actually real, or if this had been of her imagination.

Letting out a sigh, Laura pulled herself to her feet and looked around, hoping that there would be some sort of clue as to where she was supposed to go. Suddenly, a cloaked figure came walking towards her from a grassy trail that seemed to spiral downward. Laura gulped and slowly took a step back.

"You need not fear me," Dulcea said as she removed her hood. "How did you get to Phaedos?"

Before Laura, who immediately calmed at seeing gentleness in Dulcea's eyes, could reply, Katherine appeared on the rocky surface, "Ah, so I was right," Katherine said, gazing at Laura sharply. "My instincts told me that there would be a seventh even though I turned Aisha into a child. Now it will be you who…"

Dulcea whipped off her cloak and immediately struck Katherine with her staff, sending her to the ground in a heap, "As the Guardian of Phaedos and all that resides on it, I banish the evil within you from this place, Katherine," she said in a firm voice. "So long as you are possessed by evil, you cannot be here."

Before Katherine could reply, she suddenly vanished from view, "Now, on to you," Dulcea said as she turned to Laura, who was on the verge of trembling. "How did you come to Phaedos and why?"

Laura didn't know how to explain it; how could she? The pain in her tired body and excessive hunger suddenly got to her and, throwing up, she promptly collapsed into unconsciousness.


	18. Breaking Demonic Barriers

A soft cough prompted Tommy to open his eyes and sit up in his bed; he could see the others still sound asleep in their beds, all six of them. His eyes narrowed as he suddenly realized that a trembling form was lying in the previously empty bed with the yellow blanket over its body. He immediately got out of bed.

"Kimberly," Tommy whispered as he quietly crept over to Kimberly's bed. "Kimberly, wake up."

Kimberly immediately woke and sat up in her bed, "Tommy, what's wrong?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"The seventh bed is filled," Tommy whispered as he slowly made his way over to it. "Did Aisha…"

Suddenly letting out a moan, as she was in such pain, Laura slowly sat up and immediately keeled over forward, causing Tommy and Kimberly to hurry to her bedside, "Laura, are you all right?" Kimberly asked, carefully helping Laura sit up. "Tommy, is that bowl of soup and cup still on the table?"

"Yeah," Tommy replied as he turned, hurried over to the table, and hurried back to the girls with the cup and bowl in hand. "Laura, what are you doing here? How did you get to Phaedos from Earth?"

The need for food became greater than the need for pain and Laura quickly devoured both the soup and the contents of the cup, "Sorry," she whispered, suddenly embarrassed about her display of savage behavior in front of Tommy and Kimberly. "Wait, Tommy; didn't I see you at the hospital last night?"

"I got beat up by some bullies," Tommy lied, not wanting to reveal his identity as a Power Ranger. "What were you doing at the hospital after school anyway? I heard Lt. Stone mention some sort of deal…"

Laura sighed, "He wanted me to go to the hospital during school, but I said no," she replied in a tired voice. "I already told you my secret, Tommy, but I don't know if I can trust your friend well enough."

"Actually, I have five other friends besides Kimberly," Tommy explained. "Guys, wake up quickly!"

Laura was silent as Jason, Adam, Malcolm, and Billy all woke up and sat up in their beds, "You're all in Ms. Appleby's class," Laura commented, recognizing them from class. "Are you Power Rangers?"

"Yes, but we lost our powers because Ivan Ooze destroyed our Command Center," Billy replied in a gentle voice. "Our leader, Zordon, is dying and we were told to come to Phaedos and seek help."

At the mention of Zordon, Laura turned very pale and reached into her pocket, "Which one of you is Jason?" she asked, suddenly remembering what Trini had asked of her. "A girl named Trini…"

"What about Trini?" Jason asked, suddenly missing his girlfriend. "She's at the Peace Conference."

Laura suddenly looked very uneasy as she opened her hand, revealing the Praying Mantis necklace Trini had given her just before passing away, "Something happened at the Conference and she and two guys ended back up in Angel Grove at the shelter," she explained in a solemn voice, ignoring the horrified looks Jason and Billy giving her. "I was already trying to look after a little girl when they showed up."

"Aisha," Kimberly said, realizing that Katherine must have been successful in turning Aisha back into a child and sending her back to Angel Grove powerless. "How did you get to the Command Center?"

Before Laura could reply, Malcolm suddenly winced and leaned forward, "My shoulder's not any better this morning," he said in a pained voice as he tried to ignore the pain. "I think I need a sling for my arm."

"Take my jacket," Laura replied as she quickly removed her jacket revealing multicolored bruises on her arms, collarbone area, and neck. She handed both the jacket and the necklace to Jason. "Who are you all, anyway? I know Tommy because I saw him at the hospital, but I don't know the rest of you."

Jason silently pocketed the necklace, got out of bed, and walked over to Malcolm's bed. He quickly used Laura's jacket to fashion a sling and secure his cousin's left arm in it and pin it securely to his thin chest.

"I'm Jason and this is my cousin, Malcolm," Jason replied, giving Malcolm a reassuring pat on the back.

Laura frowned at Malcolm's pained expression, "What happened to your shoulder?" she asked softly.

"I was thrown over a cliff," Malcolm replied softly, wincing from being upright too long. "I'm really sore."

Swallowing hard, Malcolm lay back down and took a deep breath, quickly grabbing hold of Jason's proffered hand to keep his mind off the pain, "I'm Kimberly," Kimberly explained, smiling at Laura.

"My name is Adam," Adam offered in a quiet voice as he gestured to Billy. "That's Billy."

Before Billy could speak, the door slid open and Dulcea came into the room enshrouded in her cloak with her staff in hand, "Now that you have eaten and rested, we proceed with our journey," she said, taking silent note of the present conditions of the Rangers. "Rise from your beds and come to me."

As Kimberly and Tommy helped Laura out of the bed, Jason helped Malcolm get off the bed and join Adam and Billy at the doorway where Dulcea waited, "Each of you have suffered much, but have put yourselves aside to protect the world from monsters by serving as Power Rangers," she said in a gentle, yet determined tone. "Although your powers may be gone, they are not lost forever. However, each of you has a demonic barrier that prevents you from embracing your inner spirit and its animal guardian."

"Are we going to have to do anything to help ourselves?" Kimberly asked, suddenly very curious.

Dulcea nodded, "Each of you will be sent on a vision quest within your own souls to face that which holds you back from embracing your caged spirits," she explained. "Only after you have come face to face with your demonic barriers can you move forward in your preparation to meet Ninjor."

"Do we need to be physically able to do anything?" Malcolm asked, referring to his injured shoulder.

For a moment, Dulcea was very silent and then gently put a hand on Malcolm's cheek, "You only need to let your heart guide you as you have done before, Malcolm," she said in a motherly voice before releasing his cheek. "You were all brought into existence for a unique purpose; remember that."

The room suddenly began to get very dark; darker than night. Everything suddenly faded into silence.

* * *

Adam opened his eyes and found himself staring at a small, dark-haired boy sitting on a hard wooden bed in a room that was hardly bigger than a closet. The boy was huddled in a ragged blanket and tears were trailing down his pale face. Loud shouting and banging could be heard outside the room.

A gunshot suddenly went off and all was silent. Adam watched as the small boy climbed off the bed and left the room, clinging to the blanket. Blood, dirt, and garbage littered the hallway floors and scribbles were on the walls, things that the boy seemed to ignore as he wandered into the living room.

"Is your name Adam, son?" an officer who was in the room asked as he suddenly noticed the boy.

Adam watched as the boy looked up at the officer with wide eyes, "…Take that worthless little brat and toss him into the foster system for all I care!" a slurred voice yelled from nearby. "…I hate that BRAT!"

"I want my mommy and daddy," Adam watched the small boy say to the police officer in a quiet voice.

The officer sighed and knelt down next to the boy, "Your mommy and daddy were taken away by another policeman because they were hurting you and you were brave enough to tell your schoolteacher," he explained in the softest voice he could muster. "After you put your stuff in a suitcase, I'm going to take you to a hospital to be looked at and then to a house to live with another family."

"I don't have things," Adam watched the boy say. "My mommy and daddy burned all my stuff."

Adam sighed, relieved that this was only a vision; from that day, he had been bounced around foster homes all over the area and it wasn't until he came to Stone Canyon in fifth grade that he had been put in a group home for 'unplaceable children.' Although the standard of living was bad and the food was worse, Adam had found value in getting an education and had devoted himself to doing his best.

As he watched the officer and his younger self fade from view, Adam began to reflect on the more recent past; even though he had remained in the group home, high school had been a little better in that he had made friends with Rocky and Aisha and he had also gained a mentor in Mr. Anderson.

School had become his safe haven, as had martial arts. The anger he had felt from continual abuse by the proprietors of the group home for his weakness had made him angry, almost violent at times.

Adam sighed; his confidence was almost non-existent when he had transferred to Angel Grove High School with Rocky and Aisha and being put under a spell by Lord Zedd hadn't helped things. However, Adam reminded himself, that was all in the past and now it was time to focus on a future of unity.

* * *

White walls and sterile floors greeted Billy and he quickly realized that he was in a hospital of sorts. He walked down the long hallway and saw a frail man and a little boy lingering outside of a hospital room's open door. The man looked near devastation and the little boy looked both confused and scared.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cranston, there's nothing further we can do other than make your wife as comfortable as possible," Billy heard the doctor say in a solemn voice. "Perhaps your son would like a snack so you…"

The little boy looked up at the frail man, "I want to go be with Mommy," he said in a firm voice.

Nodding, the man took the little boy's hand, "All right, Billy," he said in a gentle voice. "Go and see her."

Billy silently followed the little boy into the hospital room where a beautiful woman was laying in a large hospital bed wearing a fluffy blue housecoat over a nightgown and a blue bandana on her small head.

"Mommy?" Billy heard his young self ask as they both approached the bed. "Mommy, are you awake?"

The woman's eyes opened, "Billy," she said in a faint, but gentle voice. "Come up here and sit with me."

Young Billy smiled and eagerly climbed on to the hospital bed, edging as close to his mother as he could without touching any of the IV's or wires attached to her, "Oh, Billy, you're growing up so fast," the woman said as she gently caressed Billy's hand. "You are so smart and will grow up to be a genius."

"Are you going on a trip, Mommy?" Billy asked in a soft voice as he gazed up into her tired eyes.

Billy cringed as the woman nodded, "I am and I'm not coming back, my little radbug," she replied in a soft voice as the frail man came into the room. "You need to keep doing amazing things and always being curious about everything that is good. Listen to your father and take care of him for me."

"I'm a better cook than Daddy," Young Billy replied. "I make cool foods with rad looking bugs!"

The woman chuckled and looked to the man, "Aaron, I want Billy to be given every opportunity that he can have because I know he'll make the most of it," she said in a frail voice. "Billy, sweetie, hug me."

"Mommy, I love you," Young Billy whispered as he huddled next to her and rested his head on her chest.

The woman smiled and gently stroked Young Billy's hair, "Melissa, we'll be here to the end," Aaron promised in a sincere voice as he sat on the edge of the bed and took her cold hand in his own.

Billy sighed as the memory faded from view; his mother had died that evening and he and his father had stayed with her that night and long into the next day. It was only after the funeral home had come for the body did Billy finally allow his father to take him home. The funeral had been a quiet affair and after it was done, Billy had been helped by his father to embrace all knowledge and opportunity available.

"I will make you proud of me, Mom," Billy whispered, a tear sliding down his pale face. "Always."

* * *

The interior of a red station wagon greeted Jason and he found himself watching a younger version of his mother, himself, and his little sister travel on a road heading out of Angel Grove. He and his little sister were in the back seat, both of them in booster seats and reading books while his mother drove.

"Mommy, does Daddy know that we're going to visit Auntie Karen and Malcolm?" Jason asked as he looked up from the book at his mother. "He would have liked to come and see Uncle Tom, I bet."

Helen Lee Scott smiled, "No, Daddy doesn't know we're going," she replied in a pleasant voice.

"Mommy, I wanna show Malcolm my new taekwondo moves!" Jason said as he put his book on the seat.

Helen chuckled and watched as Jason opened a bag of crackers on the seat and offered one to his little sister, "Elsa likes crackers, Mommy," Jason watched his younger self say as the little girl giggled.

"Don't give her too many, Jason," Helen said as she suddenly swerved. "Oh, this road is so icy!"

The car swerved again and Jason watched, fighting the urge to cry as the car smashed into a ditch.

Jason watched as the scene changed to a quiet hospital room. His younger self was sitting in a chair in the corner wearing scrubs with a bandage on his head and bandages on his right arm and right foot.

"Jason?" a concerned, anxious suddenly filled the room. "Jason, Helen, are you in here?"

Jason watched as a younger version of his father came into the room wearing a paramedic uniform. He watched as his younger self cringed away, "I'm sorry, Daddy," Young Jason said as his father came over to where he was sitting. "Mommy wanted to take me and Elsa to visit Auntie Karen and Malcolm."

"Oh Jason," Jason heard his father say in a compassionate voice. "The roads were so icy because of the cold and the rain. The police told me that the car was really badly damaged. I'm just glad you're okay."

Young Jason frowned, "Daddy, where's Mommy and Elsa at?" he asked. "I want to see them now."

"Mommy was operated on, but you can see her later," Thomas replied in a soft voice. "Jason, we need to talk about Elsa for a minute. She was really hurt badly in the accident and isn't alive anymore."

Jason cringed as he watched his younger self process the information and then silently start to cry and hug his father, "Oh Jason," Jason watched his father say. "It's okay; everything's going to be okay."

As the vision faded from view, Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace Laura had gotten from Trini; before Trini, he had only known of the deaths of his aunt, uncle, and little sister.

"Jason," a familiar voice suddenly said as Jason felt a gentle hand on his arm. "We need to talk."

Jason turned and saw Trini standing there dressed in a white karategi with the symbol of the sabertooth tiger on a ribbon around her neck, "Jason, I know you cared for me," she said in a gentle voice as she approached him. "We had a lot of fun together and you will always have those memories with you."

"Trini, please be at peace," Jason said as he took her hands in his own. "I'll learn to be okay; I will."

Trini smiled and gently caressed Jason's cheek, "You are doing better work than you would have done at the Peace Conference," she replied softly. "Hanging out with Rocky and Zack while trying to help the world become a better place was amazing. Right before I died, I got to see them and Zordon again."

"Zordon's still alive?" Jason asked, gently caressing Trini's hands. "I didn't think he still was."

Nodding, Trini stepped back, "He and Alpha are counting on you," she replied. "Doctor Oliver, Rocky, and Zack are doing what they can, but they need you and the others to get the help you seek."

"I'll miss you, Trini," Jason said in a sorrowful voice as he pocketed the necklace. "I really will."

Trini chuckled, "You will for a while, but your heart must remain open to new possibilities," she said in a gentle voice as she assumed the Praying Mantis stance. "Share your memories of me with the others."

As Trini faded away, Jason crossed his arms across his chest, bowed, and blew a kiss after her. The whole vision had taught him that although death happened, it was not the ending and should not destroy. Likewise, he would only use the losses in his life to strengthen his love for goodness.

* * *

"…You NEVER listen to anything I have to say!" Kimberly heard her mother's voice yell as she appeared in a house that she remembered living in right before her parents divorced. "…Ian, don't walk away…"

Kimberly frowned and walked into the living room, suddenly seeing her exasperated looking mother hurrying after her irritated looking father. She then saw herself laying on the living room couch with headphones on her ears, pretending to be asleep while she had really been eavesdropping.

"…Anna, this isn't working anymore," Ian Hart said as he suddenly came back into the living room.

Kimberly watched her mother approach her father, "Ian, this hasn't been working for months," she said in a regretful tone. "I was trying very hard to pretend it did because Kim just started high school…"

"Kim, take those off, we need to talk to you," Ian Hart said in a gentle voice as he walked over to the Kimberly, who was only a year younger than the one experiencing the vision. "It's very important."

Kimberly watched as her younger self removed the earphones and sat up, "What's up?" she asked.

"Kimberly, your mother and I have been fighting a lot lately and we've decided to get a divorce," Ian explained in a sorrowful voice as he sat down next to her. "We have decided to get a divorce…"

Kimberly was surprised as the vision quickly faded, but it also caused her to reflect on what had happened after that; she and her parents had discussed it and said that they both loved her very much and always would, her father packed a bag, and then left she and her mother the next morning.

Compared to others, Kimberly reflected, she had lived a pretty easy and simple life as the only child of two hard working people. Even after her parents had divorced, they had spent as much time with her as possible and always showed that they loved her. However, now her father was very busy with work trips and her mother was in Paris with her new husband. She had been staying with Aisha since then.

_Aisha. _The truth hit Kimberly like a ton of bricks; Aisha was no longer with them and there was a possibility that she would never be with them again. Where would she live after this was over?

Swallowing hard, Kimberly sighed; she would figure that out at another time and for the moment, she was grateful to have come to terms with the divorce of her parents. Now, she could move forward.

* * *

"Laura, I'm gonna be late for school!" a small voice said as Laura found herself watching Ashley, who was very young but very smart for her age, come into the small bedroom they shared. "Laura!"

Laura sighed and got out of bed in only sleep pants and a ragged shirt that barely hid colorful bruises on her abdomen and chest, "Ashley, it's Saturday, honey," she said in a gentle voice. "You don't have school again until Monday. Since we're up, though, do you want me to make us some breakfast?"

"I haven't eaten in two days," Ashley complained as she and Laura left the bedroom and stepped around the beer bottle glass that littered the hallway that led to the kitchen. "Mom and Dad are still out."

Laura sighed and opened the fridge door, "Oh great, no food," she said in an annoyed voice, disgusted that it looked like mold was growing in the crisper drawers. "Ashley, get dressed; we're going shopping."

"We don't have any money," Ashley replied in a worried voice. "Are we gonna have to steal food?"

Laura looked disgusted at that comment, "No, we're gonna take the car to Angel Grove where the food is way cheaper and I know where Mom and Dad keep their cash stash," she replied in what she hoped was a comforting voice. "If we try and shop in L.A., we'll get beat up for taking money for food again."

"We've been to Angel Grove so many times, what if someone recognizes us?" Ashley asked worriedly.

Laura sighed, but before she could reply, there was a knock at their apartment door. Figuring it was friends of their parents needing a crash point, Laura hurried over to the door. When she opened it, however, she was very surprised to see a man in a police officer uniform standing in the hallway.

"Laura Hammond?" the officer asked in an official tone. "My name Is Jerome Stone and I'm a lieutenant with the Angel Grove Police Department. "Could I possibly come in and talk to you and your parents?"

Laura silently cursed and stepped back to let him in; she had taken Ashley to Angel Grove in the car for a better Halloween than they would get in Los Angeles. They had both been dressed as butterflies and had stumbled upon a party at a place called the Youth Center. The party had been nice and until Ashley had been approached by a couple of thugs named Bulk and Skull, who thought Ashley was cute. Laura had ended up in a fight with the two of them and already in pain; she had taken Ashley and quickly left.

"Look, some thugs named Bulk and Skull were harassing my little sister at that Halloween party," Laura replied in a confrontational voice, now really annoyed. "What else could I have done to protect her?"

Lt. Stone looked confused, "You left your wallet at Ernie's Juice Bar and a young man named Jason Lee Scott found it during cleanup and turned it in," he replied, pulling a wallet out of his pocket and offering it to her. "The identification listed your address and I decided to come deliver it to you personally."

Laura quickly took the wallet, "Alright, I'll be honest with you," Lt. Stone said in a more serious voice, suddenly noticing Ashley lingering nearby. "Jason and his friends noticed your little spat with Bulk and Skull and they mentioned it to me. They gave me the wallet and asked me to see if you were okay."

"You have to get out of here before my parents come back," Laura said in an annoyed voice.

Lt. Stone, however, did not move, "Don't you need some sort of reason to be here unless I invite you to stay?" Laura asked, clearly annoyed by him not getting the hint. "It's not like I've done anything illegal."

"No, but you're obviously concealing information about your domestic situation," Lt. Stone replied in an authoritative voice as he looked around at the ruined furniture and broken glass. "You said your parents aren't home, right? How long have they not been home for and who is responsible for this mess?"

For a moment, Laura was silent and then sighed, "My parents have problems," she replied softly.

"I see," Lt. Stone replied in a softer voice. "Ladies, please go get some warm clothes on and gather all of your personal identification. I'm going to take you to the Angel Grove station for further questioning."

Laura sighed and watched her vision fade; they had all gone to the station that day, but her parents had shown up after being contacted and had duped the cops into sending Ashley back to Los Angeles with them, promising that they would clean up the apartment and get steady jobs. Laura, however, was deemed old enough to choose what she wanted to do and she had chosen to become emancipated.

Since she knew nobody, Laura had then decided to live at the shelter and go to school, intending on later getting an after school job to start saving money for a house and to apply for custody of Ashley within the next few years. Now, having been chosen to undergo this quest, those dreams seemed dead.

However, for the sake of the others who had all been nice, Laura decided to make the best of things.

* * *

The coldness of the Dark Dimension was all too familiar a sight for Malcolm and he watched himself sit there on the fog-covered floor. Goldar stood nearby, watching him with amusement and pity.

"It doesn't have to be this way," Goldar said in a menacing voice. "If you join Rita and Zedd, your memories of sorrow, pity, and pain will be no more. You will be given new memories; better ones."

Malcolm shook his head and Goldar chuckled, "Before I send you to death by combat, you should be given the chance to meet your evil self," he said in a menacing voice. "I present Zedison, son of Zedd!"

Zedison appeared and Malcolm was shocked to meet his doppelganger, "You can call me Mark," Zedison said as silver clothing appeared over his black jumpsuit. "Are you surprised that we're identical?"

"Only in appearance," Malcolm replied as he got to his feet. "I am good and you are evil."

Zedison cackled, "We were both born of the same aged mother, fool," he hissed. "I was rescued by Lord Zedd and Rita and raised as their son while you were raised in a simple home on Earth. We may have been born identical, but we are not brothers. We will never be brothers so long as you are good."

"Then I truly am alone," Malcolm replied in a firm voice. "The Rangers will come and save me, though."

Zedison sneered and a gray ninja mask appeared over his face, "GOLDAR!" he roared in an angry voice.

"Yes, mighty Prince Zedison!" Goldar proclaimed, unimpressed by Malcolm's never ending weakness.

Zedison smirked, "I believe Malcolm is ready for battle against the Dark Rangers," he said menacingly.

_And the rest was history. _Malcolm thought, the memories of his battles against the Dark Rangers and the subsequent rescue of all of them but Mark coming back to his mind. Dulcea had told them to make peace with their visions and Malcolm knew that his true family was Jason and Jason's parents; nothing, not even the revelation from Mark, would ever change his desire for good and his love for his family.

* * *

"…I'd advise you not to waste your time, Doctor Oliver," a brisk voice said as Tommy found himself standing in the corner of a room that was lit only by a small lamp on a bedside table. "We have tried to talk to Tommy and engage him in group activity several times, but he has been non-responsive to our efforts. Any tests that we have been able to perform indicate that he suffers from mental retardation…"

Tommy was silent as the door opened and light filled the room, revealing a small bed where a young boy with greasy hair down to his shoulders sat with white sweats and a sleeveless shirt covering his body.

"Tommy?" Tommy heard as he watched a younger version of his uncle, who looked about the same except for having a small ponytail, enter the room and slowly make his way over to the young boy.

Tommy watched as his uncle sat on the bed next to the young boy, "I'm your Uncle Frank, Tommy," Frank said in a gentle voice. "I heard you were living here and I decided to come visit you today."

Young Tommy said nothing, however; he merely showed his bruised arms to Frank and then rubbed his tummy to indicate that he had also been hurt there. Frank sighed and offered his hand to Tommy.

"Tommy's past was a violent one and he became a ward of the state nearly six months ago," the brisk voice stated as Young Tommy took Frank's hand and lay down near him. "He stopped talking around that time and that's the most affection or emotion he's shown to anyone since he's been here."

Frank nodded and gently stroked Young Tommy's hair, "How would I go about seeking custody of Tommy?" he asked in a sincere voice as the center director came into the room. "I just finished my doctorate in Psychology and Child and Youth Counseling and I think I can help Tommy get better."

"I'll look into it," the director promised, impressed by Frank's willingness to actually work with Tommy.

As the director left the room, Tommy moved towards the doorway, his eyes on the younger selves of himself and his Uncle Frank. Even though the adoption process had been quick, Tommy remembered that it had been difficult to trust that everything would be okay and it had taken him three more months and a lot of positive encouragement from his uncle before he rediscovered the ability to speak.

It had taken three more months for him to get enough skills to leave the center, Tommy remembered as the vision faded from view; his uncle had then taken him to a small condo at the edge of a city called Reefside and he had homeschooled Tommy for the next few years and enrolled him in martial arts to rebuild the confidence that had been lost. When his uncle had been offered a job at Angel Grove High School as a full-time counselor, Tommy had willingly followed him to Angel Grove for a fresh start.

His experience with Rita and being under her spell had nearly damaged the trust between him and his uncle, Tommy suddenly remembered; he had been forced to lie to his uncle several times about his whereabouts so that he could do Rita's evil bidding or spend time in the Dark Dimension. When he had finally been freed from Rita's spell, Tommy remembered apologizing to the Rangers and also to his uncle for being dishonest. Fortunately, both the Rangers and his Uncle Frank had been very forgiving to him.

Tommy sighed and immediately felt his heart swell; now the past was buried and the future waited.

* * *

What seemed like an eternity later, the seven Rangers opened their eyes and found themselves sitting cross-legged on soft pillows in a room smaller than the sleep area. Dulcea stood before them with her cloak over her thin frame and her staff in hand; she was between them and a closed silver gate.

"You have made peace with your barriers," Dulcea said in a calm voice. "How do you all feel now?"

One by one, Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, Adam, Malcolm, and Laura all got to their feet silently and joined hands; their vision quests had all been tough and there would be time to discuss them with each other later on, when the current problem was dealt with. Right now, they were a team on a quest.

"Take a moment to reflect and then I will introduce you to Ninjor," Dulcea said in a soft, intrigued voice.

* * *

Katherine's cat form touched the floor of the Command Center with grace, but she was confused and disgusted to find nobody there but the dying Zordon. Everything was as it was when Ivan had visited, she reasoned, as she crept across the floor. It was as if nobody had helped the Rangers get to Phaedos.

_How is this possible?_ Katherine wondered just as she suddenly heard a voice nearby, "Trini, I'm not going to move you until the others come back," Zack said as he came into view from the back. "Once the Earth is saved, we'll gather together and give you a proper burial like you have earned. For old times sake."

Katherine remained quiet and suddenly morphed into her human form, "Ah, the former Black Ranger and Black Knight is all alone," she cooed in a condescending voice. "Your name is Zack, isn't it?"

"There's nothing left here but me, the dying Zordon, and Trini's body," Zack lied, hoping that Dr. Oliver had managed to escape with Rocky and Alpha after feeling an instinct to retreat. "Take me if you want."

Katherine chuckled and waved Rita's staff at Zack, once more clothing him in the ninja outfit that he had worn as the Black Knight. Zack could feel the goodness fading from his countenance and he knelt helplessly. Even though he was no longer a Ranger, he had given others a chance to survive by staying behind despite the protests of Alpha, Rocky, and Dr. Oliver. Now, rightfully, he would pay the price.

* * *

All right, I would really like some reviews so I feel motivated to continue this story. Please?


	19. Ninja Gifts and Haunting Sorrow

It had taken all day to get out to Dr. Oliver's cabin in Rocky's car, but Rocky and Alpha were grateful for Dr. Oliver's knowledge of the area; they had been able to leave Angel Grove without being detected.

Even though he was a little afraid of the dark, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief as Dr. Oliver drove the car into a garage hidden by bushes and fences that was attached to the cabin. Alpha had powered down because he didn't enjoy car rides, so Rocky had remained awake to keep an eye on the sleeping Aisha.

"Rocky, you'd better carry Aisha inside," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as he turned the engine off and looked at Rocky, who was sitting in the front passenger seat with Aisha asleep in his lap. "Alpha?"

There was silence and then Alpha, who had been in the backseat, quickly powered up, "Ai-yi-yi-yi!" he whined in an anxious voice. "I can't believe Zordon is faking being dead and Zack stayed behind to protect Trini's body! If your instincts were correct, someone is sure to find that Zack is alone there!"

"Zack is a courageous boy," Dr. Oliver replied as he got out of the car and helped Alpha maneuver out of the backseat. He then watched as Rocky carefully got out of the car with Aisha in his arms. "Okay, so we need to go to the basement where you and Aisha can get some rest and where I can talk to Alpha."

Rocky immediately looked confused and Dr. Oliver gestured to a door that was camouflaged into the wall and only had a small handle, "This is a very old house that I think was around during times of unrest," Dr. Oliver explained as he opened the door and quickly hustled them down the stairs.

Dr. Oliver quickly closed and locked the door before hurrying down the stairs after them, "Wow," Rocky said in an awed voice as he saw that the basement was like a mini apartment and that there was a small video phone in the far corner, near the kitchen area. A smaller room held several beds and the room next to it served as a bathroom; the front room served as a living room, dining room, and kitchen.

"Go and get some rest, Rocky," Dr. Oliver said in an anxious voice. "Alpha, we need to talk…"

Not daring to argue with the one who had just rescued him, Rocky gently carried Aisha into the small bedroom and quickly tucked her into the bed closest to the door. He then went over to the next bed and quickly got under the sheets, not bothering to take his shoes off. He then stared at the ceiling silently.

* * *

"You are now ready to meet Ninjor," Dulcea said, turning to the gate as it opened. "Follow me."

Keeping their hands joined, Jason, Kimberly, Adam, Malcolm, Laura, Tommy, and Billy followed Dulcea into a large room that contained ancient looking décor that included a large vase on a small table near the gate and a small podium with a square altar on top of it was in the middle of the room with a large bowl-like firepit on top of it. Ancient paintings of various animals decorated the walls and the star symbol was etched into the altar.

Dulcea gave all of the Rangers a serious, but reassuring smile.

"Ninjor, I have brought seven," Dulcea said as she gazed towards the large vase. "They are prepared."

An amused chuckled suddenly filled the room and suddenly, the room was bathed in light and there was a loud banging sound. The light faded and a blue robotic-like being was standing at the head of the altar.

"I am Ninjor," the being said as he came around the altar. "I am the Master of the Ninjetti Temple."

Ninjor silently walked over to where the Rangers stood and he eyed each of them carefully, "All of you are tired and thin," he said in a firm voice. "Bruised either in body, heart, or mind; how on Earth do you expect to take on these powers and accomplish the task of saving Earth from Ivan Ooze, children?"

"Before we came here, we were the Power Rangers," Tommy replied in a confident voice. "We may have lost our powers, but we still have the courage in our hearts and are still willing to be a team."

Ninjor was silent for a moment and then looked at Malcolm's arm in a sling and the bruises on Laura's arms. He then looked very sharply at both Tommy and Adam before looking directly at Dulcea.

"The fire will heal your physical wounds and bestow upon you powers granted by the spirit animals that are deep inside each of you," Dulcea stated in a compassionate voice as she picked up a small bowl beside the vase, walked over to the altar, and filled the firepit with a sandy dust. "Even after you have these powers and have used them for good, you must rely on each other to completely recover."

Ninjor clapped his hands, "All of you gather around the altar and join hands," he said in a commanding voice, knowing he should speak with Laura, Tommy, Adam, and Malcolm later while Dulcea should speak with Jason, Kimberly, and Billy. "The fire of time, trial, and hope for the future will reveal your spirit animal and give you powers associated with that animal which you need to defeat Ivan Ooze."

After quickly exchanging looks, Tommy swallowed hard and moved into position on Ninjor's right side and Billy quickly stood next to Tommy; Jason stood next to Billy and Adam stood next to Jason, still deeply shaken by the piercing look Ninjor had given him; Laura ignored the trembling in her weak body and slowly moved into the circle next to Adam and Kimberly quickly took her place beside Laura. Malcolm swallowed hard and took the open spot next to Laura, his hope for peace very strong.

"Excellent," Ninjor said as the Rangers joined hands. "Dulcea, prepare the fire and feed it."

Dulcea nodded, smiled, and waved her staff at the firepit. Almost immediately, a blazing fire appeared and flamed so high that it almost touched the ceiling; it was so bright that it was nearly blinding.

"Your animal spirits will give you strength and abilities that have fought to get free for years, but have never been able to because of difficult circumstances that have served as barriers," Ninjor said as the heat in the room increased and a fiery gold dust filled the room. "Now that you have faced these barriers and have accepted them into your lives, your animal spirits can break free into your hearts."

The light and heat of the fire and the dust engulfed the Rangers and a moment later, all of it faded away to nothing and seven figures now stood at the altar; they were clad head-to-toe in white, blue, red, black, yellow, pink, and orange ninja outfits. Gold coins with various animals adorned their chests.

"Tommy, you are the Falcon Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said as the Rangers broke apart and stood back from the altar in a row near the wall. "The falcon has been in your heart and its courage has guided you to rise above your past to embrace a better future. As you utilize your new powers, remember to always think carefully when making choices, for every choice has a consequence. Focus on goodness always."

Fighting the urge to cry, Tommy nodded and removed his hood and face covering, "Billy, you are the Wolf Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said as she moved to Billy. "You have been taught well by your past and now you should share your knowledge with others. Teach by example and help others to find their path."

Billy smiled, his thoughts quickly drifting to his mother's last words to him as he removed his hood and face covering, "Jason, you are the Lion Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said in a gentle voice as she moved on to Jason. "You are a natural born leader and you carry great courage in your heart that you show each day in the choices that you make. You possess a gentle heart, swift thinking, and a balanced mind."

Jason couldn't help but smile at those unexpected comments as he silently removed his hood and face covering, "Adam, why do you look so solemn?" Dulcea asked as she moved to him and he sighed.

"How are frogs important?" Adam asked as he touched his frog symbol. "Where or what is my place?"

Dulcea smiled tenderly and kissed Adam's cheek, "While your past has left you very guarded, it will also make you stronger as you move forward," she said in a gentle voice. "You are the Frog Ninja Ranger; you carry understanding and patience that many could not. Your place is with those who care about you."

Adam managed a small smile and silently removed his hood and face covering, "Laura, you accepted this opportunity placed before you even though it required faith and sacrifice," Dulcea said in a gentle tone as she moved to Laura. "You have become the Eagle Ninja Ranger; you possess a very divine spirit and you have a protective instinct when it comes to those you care for. Your heart is very strong; rely on it."

Trying hard not to think of what she had given up in becoming a Ninja Ranger, Laura nodded and quickly removed her hood and face covering so not to pass out, "Kimberly, you are the Crane Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said in a gentle voice as she moved on to Kimberly. "You are very agile and light on your feet; you also have a lot of compassion and love for those around you. Seek wisdom through good opportunities."

Kimberly smiled, nodded, and removed her hood and face covering, "Malcolm, you are the Tiger Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said as she moved to Malcolm and gently placed her hand on his cheek. "You have shown admirable courage in the face of great tragedy; the spirit of kindness and compassion is very great within you and you desire to make honorable choices even if they are hard or bring you pain."

Malcolm nodded and removed his hood and face mask, suddenly noticing that his sling was on the floor.

For a moment, Dulcea stood there with her hand on Malcolm's cheek as she gazed into his eyes and then, collecting herself, she removed her hand and stepped away, "Rangers, does anyone know you are on Phaedos?" Ninjor asked as he suddenly lifted a small crystalline ball above the table and set it in the firepit. "I ask because it seems someone from Earth has sent an emergency message to you."

"Uncle Frank and Alpha know," Tommy replied in a worried voice. "What does the message say?"

Ninjor sighed and gazed at the crystalline ball as a fading image of Dr. Oliver appeared in it, "Rangers, we have had to evacuate the Command Center," Dr. Oliver's static filled voice said. "Zack stayed behind to protect Zordon and Trini's body, but I have escaped to my cabin with Rocky, Alpha, and Aisha…."

The message suddenly faded, "The signal must have faded," Ninjor commented as he put the crystalline ball back in its hiding place. "We must proceed with discovering your gifts and Zords so you can return to Earth and save it."

* * *

"Well, that's it," Dr. Oliver said with a sigh as the signal faded from the video phone that Alpha and the Power Coins were connected to. "Alpha, are you all right? I used quite a bit of your power to do that."

Alpha nodded and quickly disconnected himself from the video phone, "I hope the Rangers got the message and I hope they come back soon," he replied in a worried voice. "I worry for Zordon and I worry that Zack got himself captured by choosing to stay behind at the Command Center to help us escape."

"Do you think Zack is okay?" Rocky asked, suddenly coming out of the bedroom. "I'm worried."

Dr. Oliver looked at Rocky, "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked, seeing the exhaustion in Rocky's eyes.

"It was a bad one," Rocky replied. "I started having memories of my time trapped under Zedd's spell and I started having thoughts about what would have happened to me if Malcolm hadn't broken the spell."

Alpha sighed and walked over to Rocky, "You weren't responsible for what you did then," he said, trying to console the distraught human. Rocky, however, sighed and wandered over to the sitting area.

"Has Aisha woken up yet?" Dr. Oliver asked, trying to take Rocky's mind off his nightmare.

Rocky shook his head, sat down on the couch, and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch over him to keep himself warm, "It should have been me to stay behind, not Zack," he said in a toneless voice as he gazed at the floor. "Zack's already been through so much; being under Rita and Zedd's spell and all…"

"You were under their spell too," Alpha replied in a worried voice. "Nobody should have had to stay…"

Scoffing, Rocky stood up, "I'm going back to the Command Center and turn myself over to Rita and Zedd in exchange for Zack," he said in a trembling voice. "I shouldn't have left him there…I have to go…"

"No, you don't!" Dr. Oliver shouted, suddenly seeing a shade of grey in Rocky's eyes. "Alpha, grab him."

Even though Rocky bolted towards the door that would lead to the garage and outside, Alpha was just as fast and quickly restrained Rocky, "He still has aftereffects of the spell on him!" Alpha whimpered as he dragged Rocky away from the door and forced him into a cushioned chair in the corner of the room.

"Please, I have to get my punishment from Lord Zedd and Lady Rita for abandoning them!" Rocky yelled, helpless against Alpha's restraining strength. "Please, Alpha, I'm not worth saving! Zack is worth…"

Not wanting to wake Aisha, Dr. Oliver grabbed some soft restraints from a cupboard under the sink and hurried over to where Rocky was sitting, "Whenever Tommy had the urge to hurt himself or run away when we first got this place, I'd sit him in a chair and put these on him so he wouldn't hurt himself or me while we talked about his feelings," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as he carefully tied Rocky's legs to the chair legs. "Now, I want you to tell me what on earth you're referring to; what spell?"

"A while back, I was captured by Zedd and Rita along with Aisha, Adam, Zack, and Skull," Rocky replied in a hollow voice, avoiding Alpha and Dr. Oliver's concerned gazes. "I was put under a spell and forced to serve as a Dark Ranger to try and destroy the Power Rangers. I was seen as a misfit and whenever Rita or Zedd called, they whipped me hard and allowed Goldar or Zedison to beat me up in fights. I was so angry about it that I took it out on the other Rangers and I always picked on Malcolm to feel better…"

Dr. Oliver frowned, "Were Adam, Aisha, or Skull ever whipped?" he asked in a worried voice.

"No, Adam and Aisha were viewed as strong people and Skull was too much of a coward to do anything but what he was told," Rocky replied in a quiet voice. "I was the last to fully give into the spell and I would occasionally refuse to do something. After a lot of fights and whippings, I finally obeyed them…"

Rocky winced, suddenly feeling pain in his back, "Is my back bleeding again?" he asked in a wary voice as he leaned forward to try and offset the pain. "Sometimes the cuts will break and bleed for a bit…"

"Let's see," Dr. Oliver said as he rolled Rocky's shirt up and saw the deep whip marks on Rocky's back.

"_Take THAT, you weakling!" Rita yelled as Rocky found himself shirtless and hanging from a large ceiling hook by his wrists, which were chained together. He felt a sharp whip strike his back several times._

_Rocky moaned, but couldn't even look down at Rita because his eyes were swollen shut from tears he had shed as he watched his friends succumb to the spell. Rita cackled and continued to whip him._

"Rocky…Rocky…Rocky, come on," Rocky suddenly heard as a metallic hand touched his forehead.

Rocky opened his eyes and saw that he was back in the bed he had used earlier and that he was lying on his side facing Aisha with his a restraint around his wrist that was tied to a lamp. A large blanket was over his body and Alpha was standing next to the bed. Dr. Oliver was also there, kneeling beside him.

"You went into shock and passed out when I touched the cuts on your back," Dr. Oliver explained in a gentle voice, deeply unnerved about the cloudiness in Rocky's eyes. "I want you to rest for now, Rocky, and when the Rangers come back, I want you to talk to Zordon about what's happened to you, okay?"

Rocky suddenly felt very exhausted and felt his eyes slowly closing, "…Alpha, I'll stay here and you go see if you can contact the Rangers again," Dr. Oliver said, worried that if he left the room, there would be nobody to take care of either Rocky or Aisha if they woke. "It's a longshot, but we have to try again."

"What If Rocky has another fit from the spell? Alpha asked, deeply concerned. "He could hurt you."

Dr. Oliver sighed, suddenly looking very patient, "He won't," he replied in a patient voice. "Trust me."

"I'll go try again and then I'll see if I can use any of the power from the Power Coins to give Aisha and Rocky a little strength," Alpha said as he left the room. "Do you need anything, Doctor Oliver?"

Dr. Oliver shook his head, "This whole experience has made me lose my appetite and I probably won't get it back until this crisis is over," he replied as Rocky's eyes closed. "I hope the Rangers return soon."

* * *

"Black Knight, keep up!" Katherine snapped as she led Zack into the damaged Moon Palace and into the throne room where Zedd and Rita lay unconscious on the floor. She waved the wand at her parents.

Rita woke immediately and was relieved when Kat zapped the Ooze off her mouth, "Mother, I have retrieved the Black Knight and Zordon of Eltar is dead," Katherine said as she handed the wand back to Rita and helped her to her feet. "The Command Center is in ruins, but I was banished from Phaedos."

"Banished from Phaedos?" Rita asked as she caressed her staff. "Why did you even go to Phaedos?"

Katherine bowed, "I went to try and destroy the Rangers, but only deaged the Yellow Ranger with the Orb of Doom," she replied in a respectful tone. "However, the Rangers are receiving help and they now have seven Rangers united. A woman named Dulcea banished me from trying to harm the seventh…"

"WHERE IS MY SON?!" Zedd yelled as he slowly got to his feet. "Ah, Black Knight, welcome back!"

Completely helpless, Zack bowed himself before Zedd, "Father, Ivan Ooze has Zedison under a spell that has gone unnoticed," Katherine replied as she hurried to the telescope. "Zedison is badly injured."

Letting out an angry grunt, Zedd slowly made his way over to the telescope and Katherine respectfully stepped aside. He gazed through the telescope at Angel Grove and saw hordes of brainwashed adults destroying sources of electricity to give Ooze power. He then saw Ooze using a large flute to thrash Zedison, who was lying on the ground with blood on his sliver ninja outfit and trying to fight back.

"NOBODY PUNISHES THAT BOY EXCEPT ME!" Zedd roared, his fury with Ivan's evilness increasing.

Rita's eyes widened and she hurried past the Black Knight and shoved Zedd aside, "I AM GOING TO TEAR THAT PURPLE SLIMEBEAST APART!" she roared after seeing how her precious son was suffering.

"Rita, I will rescue Zedison," Zedd said, suddenly feeling his strength returning. "You deal with Ooze."

Rita looked as if she wanted to argue, but merely turned to Katherine, "Go back to the Command Center and wait for the Rangers to return," she said in a menacing voice. "I will deal with Ivan Ooze myself."

"Take the Black Knight with you, Katherine," Zedd said, seeing that Rita's determination was strong.

Katherine nodded and she silently took the Black Knight's arm, "When the Rangers return, use the Orb to make them suffer the same fate as that Yellow Ranger," Rita said in a menacing voice. "Now go."

"Yes Mother," Katherine replied as she bowed and departed with the Black Knight in tow.

* * *

**Please read and review!**


	20. Sweet Defeat and Speedy Retreats

The sun loomed over Phaedos as the seven Rangers came out into an outdoor part of the Ninjetti Temple that resembled an outdoor arena. In the middle of the arena, there was an arch containing seven pillars with colored symbols of the Ninjetti animals on them. Dulcea was nowhere to be seen.

Ninjor, however, was standing in front of the pillars, "Your gifts will serve you well as I have already told you," he said in an enlightened voice. "Now, with your new powers, you are ready for your Ninja Zords."

"Ninjor, what is a Zord?" Laura, who was just beginning to accept her new role as a Ninja Power Ranger, asked as she came towards him. "I don't mean to ask questions, but I'm still trying to understand…"

Ninjor beckoned her forward, "How does one learn to understand something if they do not act courageously and ask questions to those who know better?" he asked as she came forward. "The Zord I am about to bestow on each of you is a machine based on your animal spirit that will give you power to succeed when your Ninja powers aren't enough to defeat evil. Now, all of you, come forward."

As the other six Rangers came forward, Laura sighed and immediately searched among the totems for her symbol, "Tommy and Jason, step forward," Ninjor said, prompting Laura to refocus her attention.

"Tommy, as the Falcon you are the winged lord of the sky and for it, I now give you the White Falcon Ninjazord," Ninjor said as the White Falcon Ninjazord suddenly appeared above the first pillar. "Jason, as the Lion, you are the king of beasts and I grant unto you the Red Lion Ninjazord; you are both leaders."

The Red Lion Ninjazord suddenly appeared above the second pillar, "Adam and Billy, step forward," Ninjor said, pleased when they did so without hesitation. "Adam, as the Frog, you are the lord of all water elements and are granted the Black Frog Ninjazord. Billy, as the Wolf, you are the protector of all jungle elements and the powers within. Use these powers wisely and remember teamwork's value."

"Kimberly and Laura, come forward," Ninjor commanded as the Black Frog Ninjazord and the Blue Wolf Ninjazord appeared on the third and fourth pillars. "Kimberly, as the Crane, you are the one who will be able to help the others soar as one unit and for that, I grant unto you the Pink Crane Ninjazord. Laura, I commend you for taking on a role you do not quite understand and as the Eagle, you will be able to help heal hearts and bring love to others even though you have little given back; I now grant unto you the Yellow Eagle Ninjazord that you may serve well as a Ranger. Now, Malcolm, please come forward."

The Pink Crane Ninjazord and the Yellow Eagle Ninjazord appeared on the fifth and sixth pillars as Malcolm sighed and stepped forward. As he reached Ninjor, an owl flew over his head and settled on the rooftop of the Ninjetti Temple. It stared at him intently, but Malcolm focused on Ninjor.

"Malcolm, as the Tiger, you are the prince of the Earth and protector of all," Ninjor said in a serious voice as he waved his arms and the Orange Tiger Ninjazord appeared on the seventh pillar. "Use the wisdom you have gained from tragedy and success and you will be an excellent Ninja Ranger. I now grant unto you the Orange Tiger Ninjazord; may you work with your fellow Rangers to keep peace."

Ninjor then gestured to the seven Zords, "When your Zords are combined, they make the Ninja Megazord and it can defeat any evil. You must now return to Earth and stop Ivan Ooze from destroying any more than he already has," he said in a somber voice. "May the Power protect you all."

"Let's go guys!" Tommy shouted, eager to save both Zordon and the world. "White Falcon Ninjazord!"

Jason grinned, "Red Lion Ninjazord!" he shouted in an eager voice. "Let's go back and save the world!"

"Black Frog Ninjazord!" Adam shouted. "I hope we can save both Zordon and the world in time!"

Billy swallowed hard, "Blue Wolf Ninjazord!" he shouted. "We can do this as a team, guys!"

"Pink Crane Ninjazord!" Kimberly shouted in a hopeful voice. "We'll always be a team, guys!"

Laura sighed and then gazed up at her Zord, "Yellow Eagle Ninjazord!" she shouted in an eager voice.

"Orange Tiger Ninjazord!" Malcolm shouted, his confidence restored by his newfound powers.

Ninjor chuckled as all of the Rangers gathered before him, "Use your powers and Zords well, Rangers," he said in a lighter voice. "Only by working together can you defeat Ivan Ooze and rescue Earth."

"Right!" the seven Ninja Rangers said in unison as they joined hands and looked up at their Zords.

As the seven teleported away, the owl morphed into Dulcea and she watched the multi-colored beams travel away as she hopped off the pillar, "You never revealed your secret, Dulcea," Ninjor commented as he looked at the aged warrior who now looked very exhausted. "Didn't you want him to know you?"

"Some secrets are better left buried," Dulcea said in a somber voice as she turned to face Ninjor. "If I were to tell him, it would destroy all that Zordon has given him to know. It is better that Malcolm hold on to what he still has instead of what he has lost. He has family and friends on Earth who love him."

Ninjor nodded, "What of Mark?" he asked in a quiet voice. "Are you going to seek Mark out as well?"

"Mark is dead and evil lives in his place," Dulcea said shortly. "Evil cannot dwell on Phaedos lest we die."

* * *

The first thing the Rangers saw when they materialized in the damaged Command Center was Trini's body lying on the cot undamaged. Jason, Billy, Kimberly, and Tommy stood there for a moment and silently reflected on pleasant times they had shared with Trini while Laura, Malcolm, and Adam hurried over to where Zordon lay; they were surprised to see him still alive. Zordon smiled at the three of them.

"Rangers, you came back," Zordon said in a faint voice. "Now you must go and defeat Ivan Ooze."

Tommy, Jason, Billy, and Kimberly quickly came to Zordon, "What about you?" Kimberly asked in a sorrowful voice as she gazed at how weak Zordon seemed. "If we leave, you'll die; you can't die."

"If Ivan Ooze is not defeated, your journey to Phaedos was a waste," Zordon replied gravely.

Before any of the Rangers could reply, Katherine suddenly stepped out of the darkness where she had been waiting in her cat form, "Your journey was a waste anyway," she said, showing them the Orb.

"It's that thing she used on Aisha!" Malcolm shouted as he quickly assumed a defensive position.

Katherine chuckled and swung the Orb back and forth. Before she could begin to say the chant that would turn the Rangers into children and cause them to lose their memories, however, Billy let out a yell and quickly snatched the Orb from Katherine's hand. Katherine lunged for the Orb, but Billy quickly darted away from the others and threw it hard on the floor, leaving nothing but dust remaining.

"You'll pay for that," Katherine hissed as she walked back into the darkness. "I leave you a present."

As Katherine vanished, a figure in a black ninja outfit came staggering out of the darkness and slowly lifted its hood with a trembling hand. Jason, Tommy, Malcolm, Billy, and Kimberly were very surprised to see an exhausted looking Zack standing there. Malcolm quickly hurried over to Zack to help him.

"Zack, what happened?" Malcolm asked as he helped the shaken Zack to sit on the floor.

Zack sighed and tried to collect himself, "Katherine put me under a spell, but I'm suddenly free," he replied in a shaky voice as he leaned against Malcolm for support. "Did you guys make it back?"

"Yes, but now we need to go find Ivan so we can defeat him," Jason replied softly. "Will you be okay?"

Zack nodded and pulled away from Malcolm, "I should be," he replied faintly. "What about the others?"

"Ivan has to be our priority," Tommy cut in regretfully. "Stay here for now and we'll be back, okay?"

Zack groaned and was silent as the seven Rangers quickly teleported out of the Command Center.

* * *

Blood was spattered on the grass and on his son's uniform, Zedd realized as he appeared in the park and saw Zedison lying in a heap near a statue of a hand. Ivan was nowhere to be seen, so Zedd crept across the grass to where his son lay, "Zedison, are you alive?" he hissed in a growly voice. "Son, I'm here."

"Father," Zedison whispered in a faint voice. "I can't breathe; please, remove my mask…"

Zedd quickly removed the black hood and face covering, revealing bad burns on Zedison's face, "Ivan did all THIS to you?!" Zedd asked in a voice of horrified disgust. "He will pay, my dearest son, I promise."

"With what, cash or a credit card?" Ivan asked as he came out from behind a tree. "My goodness, Zeddy, you don't waste time coming to clean up your children's messes, do you? Shall we finish this now?"

Before Zedd could reply, Rita suddenly appeared with her staff in hand, "YOU MESS WITH MY FAMILY AND THE WORLD I'M TRYING TO TAKE OVER, YOU MESS WITH ME!" she shouted as she hurried to block Ivan from touching Zedd or Zedison. "ZEDDY, GET HIM OUT OF HERE AND GO BACK HOME!"

Suddenly, Ivan cackled and electricity ran up his body, "Ahh, I am completely powered up!" he said in an invigorated voice. "The parents of Angel Grove have gotten me all the electricity in this large city!"

"Let's go, Rita," Zedd said, knowing that this was a fight that they couldn't win. "Next time."

Realizing that Zedd was right and that they needed to get their son out of there before he succumbed to his injuries and died, Rita nodded, "See you later, purple slimeball," she hissed in an angry voice.

As Rita, Zedd, and Zedison vanished, Ivan suddenly began to grow and quickly grew to a height that was bigger than the tallest buildings in the city. "Now it's time to play!" Ivan crowed in an amused voice.

"Woah!" Jason yelled as he, Tommy, Kimberly, Billy, Laura, Malcolm, and Adam appeared in the park not far from where the giant monster now stood. "Your time is up, Ivan! We are the Ninja Power Rangers!"

Ivan cackled and was delighted when he saw that there were seven Rangers, "Ooh, seven Rangers!" he crowed in an amused voice. "I didn't think you'd find seven after Katherine made Aisha a child!"

"We did and we're ready to take you on!" Tommy yelled. "We need Ninjazord Power, now!"

Tommy raised his hands, "White Falcon Ninjazord!" he yelled anxiously.

"Red Lion Ninjazord!" Jason yelled, raising his hands.

Adam quickly raised his hands, "Black Frog Ninjazord!" he shouted.

"Blue Wolf Ninjazord!" Billy shouted in an energized voice.

Kimberly quickly brought her hands together above her head, "Pink Crane Ninjazord!" she shouted.

"Yellow Eagle Ninjazord!" Laura shouted as she brought her hands together above her head.

Malcolm quickly clapped his hands and raised them above his head, "Orange Tiger Ninjazord!" he yelled.

All of the Ninjazords quickly came to their new masters without hesitation and the seven Rangers leapt into their Zords, "Your Zords are nothing more than stuffed animals to me," Ivan scoffed, seemingly unimpressed by the Ninjazords. "Really, is that all Dulcea and Ninjor could give to each of you?"

"Now we're ready to give you a whipping," Adam said, programming the Black Frog Ninjazord to lash out its tongue at Ivan and give the purple monster a great electric shock. "Shocked into running yet?"

Ivan growled and shot electricity at the Frog Zord, causing it to tremble, "Would you like a shot in the right direction?" Kimberly asked in an amused voice as she made her Crane fire lasers at Ivan.

"Why don't you fly south?!" Ivan snapped as he shot magic at Kimberly, sending the Crane flying off into the sky at an uncontrollable speed just as the Wolf Zord lunged and bit Ivan's side. "OUCH!"

Billy chuckled as the Wolf Zord continued biting Ivan, but then frowned when Ivan wrenched free and knocked the Wolf back so hard that it nearly crashed, "Why not have a little heat applied?" Jason asked in a determined voice as he brought his Red Lion Ninjazord face-to-face with Ivan. "Eat heat, Ooze!"

"Ooh, that tickles," Ivan crowed as the Lion Ninjazord breathed fire at him. "Why not go for a run?"

Jason fought the urge to swear as Ivan shot purple lightning at him and the Lion shot backwards, "Why don't we lash you into humility?" Laura asked as she maneuvered her Eagle Zord towards Ivan. "I need some backup, Tommy. Let's shoot this thing into its own little nest where it belongs."

As the Falcon and Eagle Ninjazords took another pass at Ivan, he waved his arms, "Why don't you join your Crane friend in flying south?!" he shouted as lightning hit the Zords and sent them far away.

"How about some Tiger scratches?" Malcolm said as he lunged towards Ooze with his Zord.

Ivan cackled and a whip appeared in his hands, "How about a whip for the bad kitty?" he said as he thrashed the whip at the Tigerzord and sent it crashing to the ground. "Good kitty; stay down!"

"We need more power!" Tommy yelled in an anxious voice. "Activate Ninja Megazord now!"

Ivan's amused look quickly changed to horror as the seven Zords quickly came together and formed a robot-like being that was as big as he was, "Let's take this fight out of this world!" Billy said to the other Ninja Rangers as they all sat in the cockpit together. "We can get him into space and use our individual Zords to chase him right into the sun, guys. That way, there's no danger to anyone else on Earth."

"Great idea, Billy," Jason replied in an intrigued voice as he looked at the others. "Let's go, guys."

The Ninja Megazord quickly powered up and shot itself high above Angel Grove, "Oh, so it's a game of tag, is it?" Ivan asked in an amused voice as he used his wand to make himself able to fly. "I'M IT!"

As the Ninja Megazord left the Earth's atmosphere, the Rangers could see Ivan pursuing them, "Right, guys, once Ivan is in line with the Sun's orbit, we need to fire everything we've got at him," Billy said in a knowing voice. "Once he's veering towards the Sun, we need to follow at a distance to make sure…"

"TIME TO PLAY, RANGERS!" Ivan yelled as he approached the Ninja Megazord. "ONE, TWO…"

Before Ivan could say 'three', he was hit by a barrage of weapons, electric shocks, and fire. The Ninja Megazord then grabbed Ivan and twirled him around like a Frisbee, finally throwing him towards the Sun with such force that Ivan could not stop. The Rangers were silent as Ivan flew into the sun and exploded.

* * *

Completely unaware how the rest of Angel Grove was faring, the seven Rangers landed in the damaged Command Center. They immediately hurried over to where Zordon lay, hoping it wasn't too late.

"Zordon?" Kimberly asked in a concerned voice, suddenly frowning when Zordon didn't wake up.

Not wanting to think about if they were too late, Tommy looked around at Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Laura, Adam, and Malcolm, "We need to just join our hands and have faith that it will be enough," he said in a determined voice. "Remember, we need to use teamwork or else these new powers will not work."

"Our hearts have saved us, so why wouldn't they save Zordon now?" Malcolm spoke up. "Let's try it."

Even though Laura was unsure if joining hands and hoping for Zordon to live would actually work, she joined hands with the other Rangers and they all closed their eyes.

Nothing happened for a moment and then gold beams of light suddenly shot out from all of the medallions on their chests and filled the entire Command Center with a blinding light causing Zack, who had been on the floor, to slowly stand up.

The light faded and the Command Center was completely restored, "Rangers!" Zordon said in an enthusiastic voice as he gazed at the seven Ninja Power Rangers from inside his time warp tube.

"So you're Zordon?" Laura asked as she gazed up at him. "It's very glad to finally meet you, sir."

Zordon smiled, but he quickly frowned, "Billy, my sensors tell me that there are people at Doctor Oliver's cabin who need our help," he said in a commanding voice. "Teleport them here immediately."

Billy nodded and hurried over to the console. He pressed a few of the controls and almost immediately, Doctor Oliver, a sleeping Aisha, Alpha, and Rocky appeared. Rocky, who was covered in the blanket that Doctor Oliver had given him, immediately collapsed to the floor, but remained very conscious.

"Rocky!" Adam said as he hurried over to his fallen friend. "Rocky, you're sweating really a lot, man."

Dr. Oliver quickly knelt down next to Rocky, "There's medical technology here that would help him, right?" he asked as he removed the blanket and saw that Rocky had become even paler from the whip cuts on his back. "He mentioned something about being a Dark Ranger and how he was tortured…"

"Alpha, take Rocky down to the Chamber of Light for a bio-scan," Zordon said in a concerned voice.

As Alpha helped Rocky up and escorted him away, Dr. Oliver looked at Aisha, "Zordon, is there anything we can do to restore Aisha to her former self?" Laura asked, suddenly feeling very out of place among people who she knew nothing about as she walked over to where Aisha lay. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Aisha will be fine, Laura," Zordon replied. "However, she cannot be returned to her former state here; she must be sent back in time and then grow naturally. Any attempt to do otherwise would kill her."

Before any of the Rangers could reply, Zordon zapped Aisha and she vanished from the Chamber.

"Uncle Frank, I have a question," Tommy suddenly spoke up. "How did you find out about us all?"

Dr. Oliver sighed, "I knew I would need to tell you sooner or later," he said as he walked over to the controls area. "When Tommy and I first moved to Angel Grove, he was very excited for a fresh start and I was happy that he finally showed emotions about things. Anyway, not long after that, I noticed a drastic change in his personality; he was angry all the time and would pick fights with me over the dumbest things. I, however, always took it calmly and simply sent him to his room or on a walk to stew over his emotions for a while."

Tommy suddenly looked very ashamed and looked at the floor; what had Rita's spell done to him?

"One day, I had come back to our apartment after school was out and I found the place a mess," Dr. Oliver said, suddenly feeling bad for recalling old memories. "I tried to find Tommy, but he wasn't home, so I just started cleaning. When I finally got around to his room, I found a strange coin on his desk…"

Swallowing hard, Dr. Oliver bit his lip, "It looked like some sort of wishing coin, so I picked it up and wished that there was some way I could help my struggling nephew," he explained in a gentle voice as he walked over to Tommy and put an arm around him. "I was suddenly teleported here and I met Zordon and Alpha; they told me that Tommy had been put under some sort of spell by some freaky space witch named Rita Repulsa that was trying to destroy a group called the Power Rangers. I took an oath to always be ready to help the Rangers if it was ever needed, which it was during this crisis."

Malcolm suddenly became very quiet and swallowed hard, "Jason, ever since Phaedos, I've had something on my mind," he said in a low voice, gazing at his cousin. "I need to talk to your parents."

"Our parents!" Billy suddenly cut in worriedly. "Zordon, did Ivan Ooze hurt our parents at all?"

Zordon smiled, "While they are aware of the presence of Ivan Ooze, they are not aware of their role in any damage caused," he replied gently. "The damage is minimal and all is again well in the city."

"Billy, you and the others should go ahead and visit your families," Laura cut in, knowing how much the other Rangers missed their families and wanted to spend time with them. "I'll stick around to see if Rocky is indeed okay and then catch up with you guys later. I'd like a bit of time alone, actually."

Tommy and Jason exchanged a look and Kimberly frowned, "Are you sure, Laura?" she asked, wondering what Laura would do by herself while she waited for Rocky. "We could hang out at the park together."

"I'll be all right," Laura replied in a soft voice, wondering how long it would take before Tommy, Jason, Billy, Kimberly, Adam, and Malcolm made excuses that they were too busy to be around her. This experience as a Ninja Ranger had been wonderful, but Laura was now waiting for it to be taken away.

Dr. Oliver smiled at Tommy and then at the rest of the group, "I think that after everyone's had some time with their families, we should all get together and have a wake for Trini," Zack cut in, his voice excited. "We could have a barbecue or something and invite Trini's parents to come…"

Suddenly feeling very out of place among this group of friends, Laura quietly slipped away from them and quietly made her way out the front entrance of the Command Center. She had felt good saving the world, but figured that she had nothing in common with them and was much better off alone.

* * *

"Oh, how precious, the Yellow Ninja Ranger feels cut off from the others!" Goldar hooted as he peered through Rita's telescope with amusement. "Empress Rita, should I send down Putties to capture her?"

Rita quickly came hurrying into the throne room, "Forget the Putties, Goldar!" she shouted in an annoyed voice. "Zedd and I need to go find help to recharge our powers! Ivan Ooze's meddling has drained our powers, traumatized our daughter, and nearly killed our beautiful Zedison! Come!"

Goldar quickly followed Rita into Finster's lab where Zedison lay on a table in his mortal form with only his blood-stained ninja suit covering his battered body. Zedd was at the head of the table, gently stroking Zedison's hair to keep the boy calm. Rita approached her battered son and sighed deeply.

"He can't see you, Rita," Zedd grunted, gesturing to Zedison's eyes. "He's almost completely blind."

Rita fought back tears as she touched Zedison's face, "I'm glad that purple slimeball is already dead or else I'd kill him myself," she said in an annoyed voice. "Katherine, where are you?! Come here!"

Still deeply traumatized by Ooze's reign, Katherine hurried into the room, "Your mother and I have to go across the galaxy to find help with our powers," Zedd said in a regretful tone. "We are sending you and your brother to Earth to live as mortals. We will block any memories of us until we return for you both."

"I will look after my brother, Father," Katherine promised as she gazed down at the weakened Zedison.

Swallowing hard, Rita took Zedd's hand and the two of them stepped away from their children. Rita waved her magic wand at Zedison and Katherine, muttered some words, and fought to keep from mentioning her sudden headache as the two disappeared in a flash of brilliant red and blue light.

* * *

Despite the damage caused by Ivan Ooze, the City of Angel Grove was in a celebratory mood that evening and the mayor promptly organized a carnival in honor of the Power Rangers saving the city once again. The carnival was held on the football field at Angel Grove High School and it was very crowded.

Jason and Malcolm stayed close to Jason's parents for the entire evening; Malcolm had expressed his desire to have the love of parents once again and be adopted. Thomas and Helen Lee Scott were so excited and treated the boys to whatever they wanted to do because it was a special occasion.

Tommy and Kimberly spent the evening with Dr. Oliver, who wasn't normally much for parties, but had decided to enjoy himself just once. After being cured of his physical wounds by Alpha and being told to take it easy, Rocky had shown up to the party and was hanging with them because he hated being alone and his family hadn't come to the party; they had smaller children at home who needed attention.

Billy and his father had brought Adam to the party and they were discussing Billy's mother as they walked around the field, occasionally stopping to play a game in one of the many booths available. Zack had come to the party with his parents after stopping by Trini's house and offering condolences to her parents; they had been told that Trini had been killed in a car wreck while driving around Switzerland.

Bulk and Skull had come to the party and while they scouted out and indulged in every piece of food they could eat, they also spent time stalking Laura from a distance. Laura knew what they were up to and simply ignored them; she had very little on her mind except how very much alone she felt.

* * *

**May I please have some reviews?**


	21. Becoming A Team of Friends

Paper turkeys and pilgrim hats littered the walls of the Youth Center, something Laura took delight in seeing as she entered the Juice Bar area and found it empty. She was wearing her worn shoes, fading socks, and a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and an old hoodie she had found in the clothes donation box at the shelter. The shelter was closed for the afternoon so it could be cleaned for the Thanksgiving dinner that the City of Angel Grove recruited volunteers for to feed and spend time with the city's less fortunate.

Despite living at the shelter, Laura had no desire to take part in a family-oriented holiday that was two days from now; the fact that it was the 23rd of November that day was depressing enough for her.

She hadn't really seen or spoken with any of the Rangers since they defeated Ivan Ooze, Laura thought sorrowfully as she walked over to the bar and sat on a stool. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes and Laura found herself crying uncontrollably; this was the absolute worst birthday ever for her.

"Hello," Ernie said as he suddenly came out of the back and saw Laura crying. "Are you okay?"

Laura sniffled and tried to control her tears, "Oh, I'm sorry, is this place closed?" she asked softly.

Ernie shook his head, "Nope, I'm open every day of the year," he replied in a gentle voice as he offered her a box of Kleenex that was on the counter near the register. "It's two days before Thanksgiving and most everyone is probably busy getting ready for it. Why aren't you with your family getting ready?"

"I'm alone here," Laura replied softly as she put her hands in her jeans pocket and massaged her Morpher and Power Coin with them to calm herself. "It wasn't safe for me to live with my family."

For a moment, Ernie was quiet and Laura sighed, "Is there anything fun to do around here?" she asked in a quiet voice. "It's my birthday today and if there's nothing to do, maybe I'll walk out to the beach."

"You could go shopping," Ernie suggested in a gentle voice. "Girls your age like to shop for clothes."

Despite the tears on her face, Laura managed a chuckle, "Girls my age probably have money for clothes," she replied in a semi-amused voice. "Maybe if I can get a job, I might have money for a new set of clothes by Christmas. I want to do well in school, though, so I don't really have a lot of time for a job."

"If you're willing to do me an errand, I'll pay you for it," Ernie said gently as he offered her a medium-length grocery list. "My storeroom has run low on a few things and I need them before Thanksgiving."

Laura carefully took the list and was very surprised when Ernie handed her an envelope of bills, "There's enough money in there to buy everything on the list," he said in a gentle voice. "I'd like the change."

Nodding, Laura pocketed the envelope, "I won't let you down, sir," she replied as she got to her feet.

"My name's Ernie, by the way," Ernie said, glad that he could help her. "What's your name?"

Laura sighed, "Laura Hammond, sir," she replied in a dead-pan voice. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

As Laura left, she passed by Dr. Oliver and Tommy, "Hi Laura," Tommy said, only to be ignored by her.

"What can I do for you, Tommy?" Ernie asked in a business-like voice. "How are you doing today?"

Tommy sighed and grinned, "Jason's with his parents and Malcolm at a hearing right now to make Malcolm's adoption official," he replied happily. "Jason wanted me to see if he and his parents could host a pre-Thanksgiving party here later because he, his parents, and Malcolm are going to the mountains in a couple of days to celebrate Thanksgiving as a family. Do you think it's possible?"

"Sure, it'll just take a couple of hours to make food," Ernie replied. "How are you, Doctor Oliver?"

Dr. Oliver smiled, but was cut off by Tommy, "Ernie, how come Laura looked so distressed?" Tommy asked, realizing that there had been anger and dried tears on her face. "Why was she so angry?"

"Today's her birthday and she's not too keen on Thanksgiving either," Ernie replied in a somber voice as he moved the Kleenex box back to its original position. "She's pretty much on her own here, I guess."

Tommy nodded and sighed, "Uncle Frank, I'm gonna go find a phone and call Kim for a minute," he said, intending to tell Kimberly how Laura was feeling. "Will you and Ernie excuse me for a moment, please?"

"Sure," Dr. Oliver replied, wondering what Tommy and his girlfriend needed to discuss over the phone.

* * *

"Ah ha ha," Goldar cackled as he continued peering through the telescope, watching as Laura walked across the park towards the grocery store alone. "The Yellow Ninja Ranger would make a fine addition to my new kingdom! Since Zedd and Rita are gone and their heirs are mortal, I am the ruler of evil!"

Pleased with his own bravery in taking over the Moon Palace, Goldar turned to Finister, "If Laura is feeling like she isn't part of the team, I'll offer her a chance at being included. Prepare a potion that will show Laura things created by her own feelings of hopelessness; she will end up destroying herself."

"I have just the potion," Finster replied in a cheerful voice as he hurried back to his lab to work.

Goldar cackled and snapped his fingers, almost immediately appearing in the park in front of Laura, "I am Goldar, Laura," he said in a menacing voice as he approached the terrified teen. "I know that you are the Yellow Ninja Ranger and I also know that you feel like you aren't really part of the Power Rangers."

"What do you want?" Laura asked in a fearful voice. "I have some errands to run, Goldie, so…"

Goldar snarled, "That's GOLDAR," he replied sternly. "I have come to offer you a chance at glory."

"No thanks," Laura replied in an annoyed voice. "Glory's really not my thing. I don't care for it at all."

Cackling, Goldar waved his hands, "You will be made to care for it," he said as he and Laura vanished.

* * *

Sirens prompted Alpha to hurry into the control section of the Command Center, "Oh no, Goldar has captured Laura!" he said, suddenly seeing Laura disappear from Angel Grove Park with Goldar.

"Alpha, contact the Rangers and summon them here," Zordon replied. "This is an emergency."

Alpha whimpered and hurried over to the controls that would contact the Rangers.

* * *

"…I declare this hearing over," the judge said, smiling as Jason's parents signed their names to be Malcolm's adoptive parents for the rest of his life. "Congratulations to you all. Have a nice holiday."

As the judge walked away, Helen turned to Jason and Malcolm, "Let's go by that Juice Bar and see if Tommy managed to book the place for us," she said in an excited voice as she gently patted Malcolm's cheek and gave both Jason and Malcolm's hugs. "When we get home, Malcolm, we have a surprise for you in the room that you and Jason share. For now, though, I'm going to help your father get the car."

"Okay Mom," Malcolm replied, feeling extremely happy that he had someone to call Mom again.

Helen smiled and left the courtroom, "That suit looks good on you, Malcolm," Jason said as he looked at the dark suit and tie that Malcolm was wearing with a dark orange dress shirt and tie. "I like the shirt."

"At least it fits the season," Malcolm replied in an amused voice. "Orange kind of suits me."

Jason smiled, his own red dress shirt and tie suited him nicely as well and he was glad for it.

Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep.

Frowning, Jason tapped his Ninja Communicator, "What is it, Alpha?" he asked in a low voice.

"Jason, Malcolm, teleport to the Command Center immediately!" Alpha said in a worried voice.

Exchanging a look, Jason and Malcolm did a quick look around and teleported from the courthouse.

* * *

"Do you think Laura might enjoy a shopping trip?" Kimberly asked as she met Tommy outside the Youth Center after being called by him. "I could go get her a gift card for her birthday and take her…"

Tommy shrugged and gently took her hand, "I'm not sure," he replied. "Maybe Jason or someone else who's better at planning parties for others would know. We should gather everyone else and talk."

Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep.

"Alpha, what's wrong?" Tommy asked, lifting his Ninja Communicator. "We were just…"

Alpha's frantic voice cut him off, "Teleport to the Command Center immediately!" he said.

Exchanging a concerned look, Tommy and Kimberly quickly looked around and teleported away.

* * *

The heat of the sun bore down on Adam, Rocky, Zack, and Billy as they worked in the Kwan's backyard, building a memorial for Trini, but neither of them cared how warm it was. Rocky hadn't known Trini well, but Adam and Billy were his friends and he had decided to help them mourn Trini's death.

Trini's parents had gone to Switzerland to collect Trini's body and the memorial was to be a surprise.

Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep.

Rocky frowned as Adam and Billy checked their Ninja Communicators, "Rangers, teleport to the Command Center," Alpha said in a worried voice. "It's an emergency!"

Wondering what was wrong, Adam and Billy teleported away, leaving Rocky and Zack alone.

* * *

Laura opened her eyes to find that she was freezing cold and tied to a pole, "Welcome to the Dark Dimension, Laura," Goldar said as he walked in front of her holding a bottle of Finster's potion in his hands. "You must be cold; why don't I give you a little something to warm you up a bit?"

"I don't want anything from you, you gold freak," Laura hissed angrily. "Let me go!"

Goldar chuckled and forced himself against Laura, "That's not going to happen," he hissed as he popped the bottle open and forced every bit of the liquid down Laura's throat. "Feel better yet, my dear?"

Fighting the urge to throw up, Laura shuddered as Goldar threw the bottle away, caressed her cheek with his blue hand, and then gave her a kiss on the same cheek, "Maybe once you've had enough of what the potion will give you, you'll be ready to talk to me a bit nicer. For now, ta ta, my dear."

As Goldar vanished, Laura felt the ropes binding her disappear and she fell to the floor hard.

* * *

Jason, Malcolm, Kimberly, Tommy, Adam, and Billy materialized in the Command Center and saw Alpha standing at the Viewing Globe while Zordon looked on with concern, "Rangers, welcome back," he said in a grave voice. "Laura has been kidnapped by Goldar from the park and is now in the Dark Dimension."

"He just fed Laura the potion, Zordon!" Alpha screamed, watching through the Globe as Laura shakily got to her feet and immediately collapsed again. "It won't be long before it takes effect! Ai-yi-yi!"

Jason frowned, "What potion, Zordon?" he asked, suddenly feeling bad for not including Laura more.

"It is called the Potion of Despair," Zordon replied gravely. "It will show Laura visions created from her feelings of isolation and despair. Goldar intends to have her eventually give in to it and give up herself."

Alpha hurried over to the control panels, "Only those who have been there can go and rescue her," he said as he quickly worked the controls. "Not everyone can understand what it is like there."

"Jason, Malcolm, Tommy, and Adam, you four must go," Zordon stated in a firm tone. "You four have been to the Dark Dimension before and know how to help Laura overcome the effects of the potion enough to bring her back. Kimberly and Billy, you two need to stay and help Alpha with the antidote."

Kimberly nodded and looked at Billy before looking at Tommy, Jason, Malcolm, and Adam, "Rangers, you must go in unmorphed," Zordon suddenly cut in. "If you go in morphed, Goldar may try to drain you of your Ninia Power and that would not be good for Laura. She needs your help immediately."

"I have the co-ordinates!" Alpha shouted. "You four must hurry; the portal will not be open for long."

A large black portal suddenly appeared in the middle of the Command Center, "I hope you can help Laura quickly, guys," Billy said in a concerned voice. "We'll make the antidote quickly, I hope."

Jason nodded and led Tommy, Malcolm, and Adam into the portal. As the portal flickered, Kimberly and Billy looked to Alpha and the terrified robot began gathering the ingredients needed for the cure.

* * *

"_Hi guys," Laura said as she suddenly saw Jason, Kimberly, Malcolm, Billy, Adam, and Tommy appear before her, all of them morphed into their Ninja Power suits. "Did you come to rescue me?"_

_Tommy and Jason cackled, "We actually came to get your Ninja Power Coin and take it back to the Command Center," Tommy replied in a cruel tone. "Zordon doesn't think you have what it takes to be a Ninja Power Ranger because you're too needy, weak, and end up in the worst situations."_

"_But Dulcea said—" Laura said, suddenly taken aback when Kimberly and Jason slapped her hard._

_Jason held out his hand, "Your power, please," he said. "You'll make a better mate for Goldar."_

"NO!" Laura yelled, her eyes widening as Jason, Malcolm Adam, and Tommy suddenly came through the portal in their civilian clothes. Swallowing hard, she immediately lunged at Tommy, knocking him to the floor. "No, I WON'T LET YOU LEAVE ME HERE POWERLESS! I'D RATHER DIE THAN MARRY GOLDAR!"

Not wanting to hurt Laura and knowing that she wasn't responsible for her actions, Tommy quickly rolled, sending Laura to the floor. He quickly got to his feet and was alarmed when Laura immediately shoved him and proceeded to hit Jason in the jaw hard. Adam and Malcolm gently restrained her.

"No, you can't have my power," Laura sobbed as she tried to pull free. "Zordon can't take it back!"

Jason looked deeply confused as he gave Adam and Malcolm a look, which they quickly returned.

"You are all just like my parents and their addict friends!" Laura yelled, trying to get free from Malcolm and Adam so that she could fight to keep her power. "You just want to use me, take what's special to me away, and then leave me alone with nothing but sadness! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN!"

Goldar suddenly appeared and Laura immediately closed her eyes, haunted by another vision.

"_Now that the power is back in the Command Center, I will find another individual to take what Laura could not handle," Zordon said as Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, Adam, and Malcolm stood together near the time-warp tube and Laura stood alone near the darkness. "Laura, for your continued weakness, I sentence you to life in the Dark Dimension with nothing but memories of your broken past with you."_

_Laura helplessly watched as the six Rangers joined hands, chanted, and she was teleported away. As she landed in the Dark Dimension, she could see a vision of an older Ashley alone on the streets of L.A._

"_Thanks a lot, Laura," Ashley said in a whiny voice. "Mom and Dad turned me to selling drugs…"_

Laura moaned and fell limply out of Adam and Malcolm's grip, "The spell is taking effect!" Goldar cackled, delighted that he would soon have someone to control. "You are too late, Rangers!"

"If you want this power, you will have to fight me first," Laura said in a hollow voice, sniffling as she shakily got to her feet and faced Jason, Tommy, Adam, and Malcolm. "I won't allow anyone to take anything else away that I love. I may be a loner and weak, but I've been through too much…"

Remembering what Laura told him at the hospital, Tommy nodded, "You're right, Laura, you've been through too much for someone our age," he replied, giving Jason a look and a nod to back him up.

"Let us help you become strong," Malcolm suddenly cut in. "I was where you are now, Laura."

Laura choked back a sob, becoming more paralyzed by the despair she was feeling, "If we're not a team, Laura, why don't you fight me and see how strong you really are?" Jason asked in a challenging voice as he rubbed his now-bruised jaw. "You did a number on my jaw, so imagine how you'll defeat me."

"I don't want to," Laura replied, suddenly regretful over her actions. "I'm so weak; really weak."

Jason suddenly had a thought, "Why do you weld the animal spirit of an eagle if you are so weak, Laura?" he asked, cautiously taking a step towards her. "An eagle is a free spirit; a happy spirit."

"Would Dulcea and Zordon really give you something you couldn't handle with help?" Malcolm asked, suddenly feeling a bit braver. "Dulcea trusted you enough to give you those very special powers."

Laura sighed, trying not to pay attention to Goldar's amusement, "Rocky told me that I showed courage in taking care of Aisha and helping him and Zack with Trini," she said, forcing herself to remember that day. "Trini gave me the necklace to give to you and I figured it was important that you get it."

"What happened to make that courage disappear?" Adam asked in a quiet voice. "You did a really brave thing in coming to Phaedos, accepting unknown powers, and helping us defeat Ivan Ooze."

For a moment, Laura was silent, "You all know each other so well," she replied in a quiet voice, suddenly feeling very exhausted from fighting so hard. "I didn't meet any of you until I came to Phaedos."

"We met at the hospital, remember?" Tommy asked in a gentle voice. "You told me about yourself and your past and I didn't run away; I really don't think that my other friends will run away either."

Suddenly realizing that Laura had a dark past involving parental abuse, Jason took another few steps towards her and knelt down, "I understand why you're scared," Tommy said as he walked over to them and knelt beside Jason to face her. "You're not in that situation anymore and there's reason to hope."

"I'm so weak," Laura whispered as she held her hands out to Tommy and Jason. "That potion…"

Knowing that Laura didn't have the physical or emotional strength to walk out on her own, Jason carefully scooped her up in his arms, "Let's get back to the Command Center," he said, giving Malcolm, Tommy, and Adam grateful looks for helping him help Laura. "Sorry Goldar, you lose this round."

Goldar let out a roar of fury as the five Rangers walked through the portal and the portal disappeared. He needed help if he was going to defeat the Rangers once and for all.

* * *

"…Do you think the antidote will work?" Kimberly asked as she poured the last of the antidote into Laura's mouth and carefully closed it. "She was barely breathing when she was brought back."

Alpha sighed and watched the scanner above the bed where Laura lay unconscious, "It'll take some time, but most likely," he replied as he moved away from the cot and joined Jason, Tommy, Adam, Malcolm, and Billy in the controls area. "This is an important lesson in teamwork, though."

"Alpha is right," Zordon cut in as he looked at the Rangers. "Although it is important to show unity in battle, it is even more important to form and maintain friendships with each other in your lives."

Laura suddenly let out a faint moan and opened her eyes, "Kimberly," she said, surprised to see Kimberly standing beside the cot. "I'm so sorry that I thought those horrible things about you all."

"You were under the influence of an evil potion," Tommy replied as he walked over to the cot.

Swallowing hard, Laura slowly sat up and got up off the cot with Kimberly's help, "I'm sorry for thinking you would take my powers away, Zordon," she said in a tired voice. "That potion must have been bad."

"As Tommy said, you were not in control of what you said or did while under its influence," Zordon replied. "However, you are back in control of yourself and I urge you to trust your fellow Rangers."

Nodding, Laura suddenly frowned at seeing Jason's jaw, "I'm so sorry, Jason," she said, realizing that she had hurt him while under the potion's influence. "Can you please forgive me for hurting you?"

"Of course," Jason replied in a reassuring voice as he walked over to her. "It's like it never happened."

Laura smiled and suddenly yawned, "That whole thing made me so tired, but I promised a nice man named Ernie that I'd pick some stuff up for him at the store," she replied. "I should go do that."

"Tommy and I can help you," Kimberly offered enthusiastically. "We're friends, right?"

Laura nodded and still feeling bad about what she had done to Jason's jaw, she gave Jason a quick hug before leaving with Tommy and Kimberly. Jason blushed and rubbed his sore jaw in silence.

"Jason, we need to get going," Malcolm said anxiously. "Mom and Dad are probably missing us."

Adam's eyes widened, "Billy, we should get back to the Kwan's house and help Rocky and Zack with that memorial before Trini's parents get home," he said urgently. "They're supposed to be home tomorrow."

As Jason, Malcolm, Adam, and Billy left the Command Center, Zordon sighed; all was well once again.

* * *

The Youth Center was quiet by the time Kimberly and Tommy brought Laura back with the items that Ernie had asked for. Laura quietly took the items to the counter and left them there, along with the change even though she desperately needed other clothes. Her integrity was more important to her.

It hadn't taken long to visit the store, but then Kimberly and Tommy had 'kidnapped' Laura to the mall and had helped her buy a cheap, but fashionable wardrobe. Kimberly had also curled Laura's long hair and was now helping her carry the bags of clothes. The bags were now in the car that Dr. Oliver had left there for them and walked home needing a break.

"The shelter's probably open again by now," Laura said as she turned back to face Kimberly and Tommy with a tired smile on her face. "I think I'm going to go back there and get some sleep if I can."

Kimberly smiled, "Why don't you let us buy you some dinner first?" she suggested in a gentle voice.

Suddenly, Ernie came out of the back with a large tablecloth, a large basket, and several menus in his arms. He covered one of his larger tables with the cloths and took an empty vase out of the basket.

"Have a seat, folks, and your host for the evening will be here shortly," Ernie said before running off.

Tommy and Kim exchanged an amused look and sat in two of the empty chairs. Laura, however, remained standing and immediately looked confused when Malcolm came out of the kitchen in his court suit with a towel and two menus on his arm, "Welcome to Café Ernie," Malcolm said in a gentle voice.

"What in the world?" Laura asked, her jaw dropping as Malcolm handed her a paper menu. "Malcolm, what is this?"

Malcolm grinned, "I'll come back when you are all here," he said, smiling as he darted into the kitchen.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you that Jason's parents decided to go on a date tonight instead of throwing a party," Kimberly said in an amused voice. "Since we're all free, we thought we'd have a party for you."

Before Laura could comment, Bulk and Skull came into the room, "We heard there was a pre-Thanksgiving party here!" Bulk crowed, gesturing to his suit. "We came all dressed up and are excited to PARTAY!"

"Would you like some entertainment?" Zack asked as he, Rocky, and Adam hurried in with a boom box in hand, pressed play, and began to do some rather cool dancing to sophisticated classical music, which made Tommy and Kim laugh.

A red carpet suddenly was rolled into the room by an excited looking Billy, who immediately bolted into the kitchen to help Ernie and Malcolm. A moment, Jason came in still wearing his court suit and he had a wrapped package in one hand and a large box in the other. He came over to the table and sat down next to Laura.

"Is this a date?" Laura asked nervously, very surprised when Jason handed her the package. "What is this?"

Jason merely smiled and Laura opened the package revealing a large bouquet of yellow roses, "Happy birthday, Laura," he whispered as he handed her the box. "It's a new jacket since you lost your old one a while back."

As Laura smiled, Bulk and Skull came forward to wish Laura a happy birthday and they accidentally knocked into Zack, Rocky, and Adam, who stumbled. Ernie suddenly came out of the kitchen with a cake in his arms and Malcolm and Billy behind him to help cut it. Rocky stumbled into Ernie and inadvertently sent the cake flying into the air where it eventually landed on both Bulk and Skull. Bulk and Skull groaned helplessly and Ernie shrugged.

"Oh, Jason, it's beautiful!" Laura said as she opened the box and took out a long white zipper jacket with medium-length sleeves and a patch of an eagle with multicolored wings on the back with gloves attached to a sleeve.

Jason smiled as Ernie hurried back into the kitchen and quickly came out with a camera, "Do all you kids want a picture together?" Ernie asked, thrilled at how happy they all seemed to be together. "Gather together."

Not wanting to be seen in a photo with cake all over them, Bulk and Skull bolted outside. Laughing, Rocky, Zack, and Adam hurried over to the table to join Jason, Laura, Tommy, and Kimberly. Malcolm and Billy stood at the table looking happy.

Ernie went down to the lower floor so that everyone would be in the picture. As he took the picture, everyone laughed.

As Ernie came back up to the bar to show the picture to everyone, Jason smiled, "How about we sing happy birthday to you now, Laura Hammond?" he asked in an amused voice, enjoying it as she blushed. "Happy birthday to you…"

Laura smiled as the others sang 'Happy Birthday' to her; perhaps now, everything would be okay; for even just a while.

* * *

"Mark? Mark, we're here," Katherine Hillard's voice filtered into Mark's ear. "It's time to get out of the car."

Mark offered his hand and once he felt a hand in his, he used the hand and the person attached to it to get out of the car and walk across the untouched earth. He could hear the footsteps and low voices of others, but felt nothing but the hand.

"Mark, Katherine, your journey must have been long," Sam Trueheart said as he came out of his large house and greeted the two as they came up the walk from the rental Jeep Katherine had gotten from the airport. "Welcome to the reservation."

* * *

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	22. Resurrected Foes, Endangered Time

Before anyone knew it, the New Year had come to Angel Grove and school was in session once again at Angel Grove High. Thanksgiving and Christmas had been a quiet, but very fun-filled holiday for everyone and everyone, even Laura, had found reason to be grateful for friends, family, and most of all, holidays.

Even now that school was starting again, each of them were excited for the opportunities that being back in school would bring to them both academically and socially. On that day, Malcolm had a session with Dr. Oliver before school, so Jason found himself walking through the hall towards his locker alone.

_Clack, clack, bang, clack._

Raising his eyebrow, Jason walked towards the sound and saw a tall young man who looked remarkably like Tommy leading a younger man who looked a bit like Malcolm but was wearing tan pants, shoes, and a tan sweater with a Native American vest over it down the hallway from a back entrance door, "This is a little tough," the shorter young man said tiredly. "You're gonna be late for your class, David."

"Don't worry about it, Mark," David replied in a gentle voice. "Do you want to try the stick instead?"

Jason went over to his locker and silently watched as Mark released David's arm and carefully got a folded up cane out of his pocket. With very little effort, Mark had unfolded the cane and was sweeping it across the floor as if trying to see if it were clear. Jason suddenly frowned; Mark was Zedison.

"Where's my locker?" Mark said in a frustrated voice that caused a bit of an Australian accent to emerge. "I've got a map of the school in my pocket, but I can't read it without a lot of help."

For a moment, Jason was confused about why Zedison would be called Mark and why he was pretending to be blind; was Zedison here in disguise on orders of Rita and Zedd for some evil purpose?

Swallowing hard, Jason walked over to David and Mark, "Can I be of help in some way?" he offered in a gentle voice, wondering if Zedison was just trying to trap the Rangers one at a time. "I'm Jason."

"I'm Mark Hillard and this is my foster brother, David Trueheart," Mark replied, clumsily offering his hand, which was in a wrist brace, to Jason. "I'm kind of new here and it's hard for me to get around."

David smiled reassuringly at Mark, "You're doing well," he said in a gentle tone. "Jason, would you mind showing us where David is supposed to be at? I don't know this high school very well myself yet."

"David, I've got it," Mark said in a pleasant tone. "Go on to your class, okay? I'll see you after school."

David looked to Jason, "Jason, can you make sure he gets to class?" he asked in a hopeful voice.

Even though he was unsure if this was a trap or not, Jason put his arm in Mark's, "Why don't we go by the office and see where you're supposed to be?" he suggested in a reassuring voice. "After I help you get your schedule and books, we'll go to class and look for your locker later. Does that sound okay?"

"Oh, I forgot, I have to go see some guy named Doctor Oliver for counseling before I set foot in class," Mark said as Jason began leading him down the long hall. "It's part of the conditions for coming here."

Jason nodded, "Conditions?" he asked, unable to stop his curiosity. "You have some conditions?"

"I've not been in prison or anything like that," Mark replied in an amused voice. "I was in a bad accident back in the summertime, but my parents went on a dig just before Thanksgiving and they wanted me to be near my sister. I lost most of my sight in the accident and had some other injuries as well…"

As they passed by the office, Mr. Caplan suddenly emerged with a tape recorder, a small box of blank audio tapes, and two large textbooks in his hands, "Mark Hillard, right?" he asked in a curious voice.

"Yes sir," Mark replied in a quiet voice. "I'm sorry about the cane, but I'm visually impaired and…"

Mr. Caplan sighed impatiently and handed the items to Jason, "I know all about that since both your parents and Mr. Trueheart informed me of your circumstances," he replied in a tiresome voice. "I took the liberty of ordering you a tape recorder for class, blank tapes, and some textbooks in Braille. Please remember that you are to see Doctor Oliver before you attend class and if you need a tour…"

"I was just taking him to Doctor Oliver's office, sir," Jason cut in. "I can also give him a tour."

Mr. Caplan scowled at being interrupted, but nodded, "Very well," he said before walking off.

* * *

"That spoiled brat of Emperor Zedd is as useless as he ever was," Goldar hissed as he watched Jason lead Mark down the rest of the hallway. "I can't believe Zedison and Katherine were sent to Earth. I don't know where Princess Katherine is, but Zedison is nothing more than a blind mortal now."

Scorpina then entered the room, "You summoned me, Emperor Goldar?" she asked seductively.

"We need some help to defeat the Power Rangers," Goldar replied coldly. "We are powerless."

Scorpina sighed, "Didn't Rita and Zedd leave anything behind?" she asked in an annoyed voice.

"Only Finister," Goldar replied, scoffing as he turned to face her. "We have no way of making the monsters big and powerful, only annoying. There's no point in making any monsters right now."

Scorpina looked scandalized, but before she could reply, the ground began to shake and a large being made entirely of bones appeared in the middle of the throne room with a bone sword in hand.

"Who are you?" Scorpina asked in a surprised voice. "We thought that none could help us."

The being cackled, "I am Rito Revolto, Rita's brother," Rito replied. "She sent me to help."

* * *

"Hey Malcolm, wanna fight?" Bulk said mockingly as Malcolm came out of Dr. Oliver's office.

Malcolm frowned and quickly backed away; he was pretty sick of Bulk and Skull's bullying, but could do nothing about it because they were bigger than him and he had promised Zordon that he wouldn't initiate any fights. Taking his backing away as a sign of weakness, Bulk snatched Malcolm's backpack.

"Hey!" Malcolm said as they unzipped his bag and dumped all his books on to the floor.

The door suddenly opened and Dr. Oliver poked his head out looking annoyed, "Bulk, Skull, please pick up those books and put them BACK in Malcolm's bag right now," he said in a strict voice. "Then get yourselves to class and after school, report to detention. I don't have time for nonsense today, boys."

Bulk and Skull looked shocked at the normally quiet counselor's strictness, but Dr. Oliver's glare was enough to prompt them to pick up all the books and put them back in Malcolm's bag, "Thank you," Dr. Oliver said in a stern voice before he closed the door again. Bulk handed Malcolm his bag fearfully.

In the safety of Dr. Oliver's office, Tommy sighed, "Those two are always getting on my nerves," he said in an exhausted voice, having heard the confrontation. "They crashed Laura's birthday party, you know."

"Yes, I heard," Dr. Oliver replied in a gentle voice, not bothering to comment on his nephew's occasional short-term memory issues as they stemmed from the childhood abuse. "Now, Tommy, I noticed you had a little trouble sleeping last night and went for a walk at about three o clock this morning. Why…?"

Tommy sighed, "Goldar's not happy with me for helping rescue Laura," he replied. "I had a nightmare that somehow, Goldar managed to capture me and torture me into giving up my friends…"

"Goldar's that creepy gold guy that you told me about after you were freed from that spell, right?" Dr. Oliver asked, silently processing the information. "Why do you think Goldar would come after you?"

* * *

"Hmm, who is that freaky mortal that's calling you a creepy gold guy?" Rito asked as he peered through the telescope and watched Dr. Oliver and Tommy talk. "Aah, is that that brat, Tommy?"

Goldar hurried over to the telescope, shoved Rito aside, and peered in, "Yes and he's obviously told someone else about the Power Rangers!" he hooted in a delightful voice. "Perhaps we can use him."

"I have strict orders from Rita to find Princess Katherine and have her help lead the assault against the Power Rangers," Rito stated, suddenly all business. "Rita also said to leave Zedison where he is at."

Goldar snarled, but said nothing, "Goldar, don a disguise and find Princess Katherine," Rito said as he took a seat on Zedd's throne. "She was only given a mind block, so her memories should resurface easily. Do not, under any circumstances, go after Prince Zedison; he is useless to us. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Rito, I understand," Goldar replied even though inside he was fuming. "I will return soon."

Determined to prove to his sister and Zedd that he was capable of taking care of things while they were away, Rito cackled and made himself comfortable on the throne. He would be the coolest ruler ever.

Goldar, meanwhile, was planning to beat the snot out of Rito when he had the chance and power.

* * *

The bell had already rung by the time Tommy left his uncle's office and he had a note to give the teacher, excusing his lateness due to counseling. His uncle couldn't walk him to class per policy, as he had to counsel a new student who was visually impaired and required it for medical reasons.

As he made his way towards Ms. Appleby's class, however, he saw a blonde girl hovering outside the door looking in every once in a while, "Are you okay?" Tommy asked, approaching the girl. "If you're late, Ms. Appleby won't be mad."

The girl shook her head and looked at him, "Just looking for Mark," she replied in a pleasant voice. "I'm his sister, Katherine, and I'm worried about how he's doing."

"He might be at the counseling office," Tommy replied, remembering that his uncle had referred to the other young man as Mark before dismissing Tommy to class. "My uncle's a school counselor here."

Katherine looked relieved, "Oh, I'm glad he's all right," she replied. "I should probably wait for him."

"I can show you where the office is," Tommy offered, suddenly feeling in no hurry to go to class.

Katherine nodded and followed Tommy as he walked back to the counseling office. The door to Dr. Oliver's office was closed and Katherine sighed. Suddenly, the earth began to tremble violently.

"Hello Katherine!" Goldar said in an excited voice as he appeared out of thin air. "Ah, Tommy!"

The door to Dr. Oliver's office suddenly opened and Dr. Oliver looked out, "Uncle Frank, stay in there!" Tommy yelled, cringing when the bell suddenly rang again. "It's not safe to come out!"

"Who are you?" Mark asked, suddenly hearing an unfamiliar voice outside. "Kat, are you out there?"

Suddenly feeling frightened, Kat looked at Mark, "Mark, meet me at the courtyard after school," she said, not wanting her brother to end up injured. "Doctor Oliver, close the door right away."

As students, including Jason, Kimberly, Laura, Billy, Adam, Rocky, Zack, and Malcolm began to come through the hallway, Goldar caused the ground to shake, "You're coming with me, Katherine!" he chanted in an amused voice as he reached out for Katherine. He suddenly roared as Tommy kicked him.

"So you want to help Katherine?" Goldar roared as he grabbed Tommy's arm and pulled him close.

Tommy groaned as he felt his shoulder pop out of place, but he edged himself close to his uncle and carefully slipped his morpher and Ninja Coin into his uncle's pocket so nobody would notice. Goldar cackled and quickly vanished with both Tommy and Katherine in his custody, leaving a mess behind.

"Tommy!" Kimberly yelled as she hurried through the debris to where Tommy had been standing.

Mark quickly came out of the office wanting to talk to Katherine, but a sudden aftershock courtesy of Goldar sent his cane flying out of his hand and in the direction of Bulk and Skull. Fortunately, Billy caught Mark and helped him stand back up, "Attention students, please evacuate to the football field while we see if there is any damage from the earthquake," a brisk voice suddenly said over the intercom.

As the crowd dispersed, Jason, Kimberly, Malcolm, Laura, Adam, and Rocky came over to Dr. Oliver while Billy stayed with Mark, "I need to find my cane," Mark said as he reached for the wall.

"Billy, help Mark find his cane," Dr. Oliver said in a firm voice. "Jason, Kimberly, Malcolm, Laura, and Adam, I want to talk to all of you in my office. Rocky, can you take Mark's books and help Billy?"

Nodding, Billy left Mark at the wall, hurried into the office and, grabbed Mark's school supplies, "As soon as you can, Billy, go to the Command Center," Dr. Oliver whispered. "You'll be needed, I'm sure."

Billy nodded and hurried back over to Mark, "I should find David," Mark told Billy as they walked away.

"Guys, go into my office and get to the Command Center," Dr. Oliver whispered to them. "Hurry."

Nodding, Jason, Kimberly, Malcolm, Adam, and Laura hurried into the counselor's office and shut the door so nobody would see them teleporting. Dr. Oliver sighed and immediately noticed Bulk and Skull at the far end of the hallway holding Mark's cane in their hands and looking rather mischievous.

"What are you two DOING?!" Dr. Oliver asked in an angry tone as he approached the two. "That cane belongs to Mark Hillard and he lost it during the earthquake. Go and give it back to him right now."

Bulk suddenly looked afraid, but before Dr. Oliver could take the cane back, he promptly vanished.

"Hurry Skull, let's get this cane back to Mark before anything else bad happens," Bulk said, suddenly wondering if Dr. Oliver was a Power Ranger and he was now invisible. "I'm sure Mark's missing it."

* * *

_Princess Katherine, I remember it now. _Katherine thought as she suddenly appeared in the Moon Palace throne room and saw Rito sitting on the throne, "What are you doing on my father's throne?" she asked in a commanding voice. "Where is my brother? My parents would be most displeased with his absence."

"Your brother was killed by the Power Rangers the moment he came to Earth as a mortal," Goldar replied as he appeared in the throne room. "The Pink Ranger saw through his civilian disguise and told the others to kill him. You were brought here to find the other Power Rangers and destroy them."

Katherine nodded, a brief look of sorrow passing her face for her lost brother before she became all business and looked eager to fight, "As a gift, we have captured the White Ninja Ranger and an innocent civilian for you to torture," Goldar said in an amused voice. "They are being warmed up underground."

* * *

Stone walls and extremely warm air greeted Dr. Oliver and he immediately wondered how he had gotten from Angel Grove High to wherever he was now. A hoarse cough suddenly distracted him.

Frowning, Dr. Oliver made his way towards the sound and was horrified to see Tommy laying strapped to a table in the corner of the room with sweat pouring down his face, "Tommy?" he asked in a horrified voice as he hurried over to the table where his nephew lay. "Tommy, are you okay? What is this place?"

"So…warm," Tommy whispered faintly as he forced himself to stay conscious despite the heat.

Frowning, Dr. Oliver quickly worked on the top strap, but only managed to loosen it a bit, "Uncle…Frank?" Tommy asked, suddenly recognizing him. "What…are you doing…here?"

Ignoring the sweat that he could suddenly feel on his forehead, Dr. Oliver continued working on the top strap and finally undid it, "Just stay calm, Tommy," he replied in a gentle voice. "Help will find us."

"You think so," Goldar said as he suddenly stepped out of the darkness. "Help will be too late."

* * *

Jason, Kimberly, Laura, Adam, and Malcolm touched down in the Command Center and were immediately met by a frantic Alpha, "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" he exclaimed. "An ally of Rita's has taken over the Moon Palace and Rita's daughter is helping her. They have captured Tommy and Doctor Oliver."

"Why would anyone want to capture Doctor Oliver?" Kimberly asked, suddenly concerned for both Tommy and his uncle now that they were in evil's hands. "Doctor Oliver doesn't have powers."

Zordon sighed, "The ally that Alpha speaks of is called Rito Revolto, Rita's brother," he explained as the six Rangers turned to face him. "Rito ordered Goldar to capture Katherine back from the civilian life that Zedd and Rita had placed her in. Rito has also discovered that Doctor Oliver knows of all of you, and…"

"Is this Rito fellow planning to torture Doctor Oliver in giving us up?" Laura asked in a worried voice.

Zordon was silent for a moment, "It was Goldar's idea to capture Doctor Oliver and he is bait to catch the rest of you and steal your Ninja Powers," he explained. "Goldar thinks that by using torture, Tommy will surrender his powers and encourage you to all do the same. This is a grave situation, Rangers."

"Isn't there a way to teleport them out?" Adam asked, suddenly concerned for his new friends.

Alpha hurried over to the viewing globe and Jason, Laura, and Malcolm followed. Through the Viewing Globe, they could see Dr. Oliver trying to fight off Goldar himself to keep him away from Tommy.

"Is there a way we can morph and teleport in there to rescue them?" Billy asked in a concerned tone.

Alpha nodded, "There might be, but it will take some time," he said, hurrying off into another chamber.

* * *

"Ah, the White Ninja Ranger," Katherine said as she swept into the room now back in her Rita-like princess costume and over to the table. "And this must be the infamous Doctor Oliver, the mentor."

Dr. Oliver frowned as Goldar backed away, "Aren't you Mark Hillard's sister?" he asked, suddenly recognizing Katherine as a student. "He wanted you to be there with him today."

"My brother is dead, thanks to the Power Rangers," Katherine hissed as a large wooden staff with a skull on top of it suddenly appeared in her hands. "I'm going to finish them all, starting with Tommy."

Before Dr. Oliver could react, Katherine waved her staff and pointed it at Tommy, "Let's see how you do in a fight after being warmed up!" she hissed, growling as Dr. Oliver suddenly grabbed Tommy's hand, causing them to vanish from the cell together. "Goldar, make sure you deal with them both!"

"Yes, Princess Katherine," Goldar said as he bowed and vanished. "They will be given their lessons."

* * *

"Rangers, the co-ordinates have been found and set," Alpha said in an urgent voice. "You must hurry."

Before anyone could reply, Billy suddenly teleported in with Mark's cane, "Bulk and Skull were trying to escape the school grounds with it and by the time I got it back, Mark had gotten lost in the crowd," he explained as he set the cane near the control panel. "I'll find him and return it later on. For now…"

"Doctor Oliver and Tommy have been captured by Rita's brother and Goldar," Jason replied in a grave voice. "We've got to teleport in, rescue them, and try and stop Rito and Goldar from their conquest."

Billy nodded and suddenly looked concerned, "Do you think Zedison tricked us somehow?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I guess we'll find out," Adam replied in a determined voice. "Let's get going."

Jason held out his Ninja Morpher, "It's Morphin Time!" Jason yelled. "Red Lion Ninja Ranger!"

"Blue Wolf Ninja Ranger!" Billy yelled as he whipped out his Ninja Morpher.

Her heart pounding, Kimberly whipped out her Ninja Morpher, "Pink Crane Ninja Ranger!" she yelled.

"Yellow Eagle Ninja Ranger!" Laura yelled anxiously as she whipped out her Ninja Morpher.

Adam gritted his teeth and whipped out his Ninja Morpher, "Black Frog Ninja Ranger," he yelled.

"Orange Tiger Ninja Ranger!" Malcolm yelled as he whipped out his Ninja Morpher. "Let's go!"

* * *

An arena with fog covering the floor and fire covering the ceiling was what greeted Dr. Oliver as he opened his eyes and found that Tommy was now beside him, struggling to stay conscious from shock.

"Welcome to the arena of fire!" Goldar chanted as he stepped into the ring. "Ready for your battle, Tommy?"

Dr. Oliver looked at Tommy, "You don't have to do this," he whispered. "Tommy, you're exhausted; you need to rest."

Too exhausted to speak, Tommy silently pulled away and stumbled towards the ring, ready to take Goldar on and protect his beloved uncle from any further trauma. As Tommy entered the ring, Dr. Oliver reached into his pocket and placed his worn hand on the White Ninja Morpher Tommy had given him before being kidnapped; how could the power help them now?

* * *

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	23. Distraction From Danger

"Such a lovely young man you are, Tommy," Katherine said as she walked into the ring and over to where Tommy was trembling and forcing himself to stay in fighting stance. "It's a shame that Goldar has to beat you up to make you learn your lesson. After you are done for, your uncle will be next!"

Tommy heaved and immediately threw up, but remained standing, "Do you wish to take him on, Princess Katherine?" Rito asked as he appeared near Goldar. "You have earned that honor."

"I would love to," Katherine replied in an amused voice as she immediately slapped Tommy hard.

Tommy winced and swallowed hard. Dr. Oliver caressed the Power Coin and Morpher that was hidden in the pocket of his pants; he could feel power suddenly surge through him as if the spirit within the coin knew what he was hoping to be able to do. He had to get up and take his nephew's place in the fight.

"I'm taking my nephew's place in this fight," Dr. Oliver said in a brave voice as he stepped forward.

Goldar cackled, "You are a helpless mortal and have no chance of winning!" he roared. "However…"

Suddenly, Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Adam, Malcolm, and Laura teleported into the arena in their Ninja Power Ranger suits, "We'll take it from here," Jason said as he assumed a battle stance.

"I have to do this alone," Tommy said in a faint voice even though he would rather collapse.

Swallowing hard, Dr. Oliver gently put his arms around Tommy's waist and pulled his shaking nephew close, "No, you don't," he whispered in a gentle voice. "You've fought enough for now, Tommy."

"Zordon, we found Doctor Oliver and Tommy," Malcolm said in a grave voice into his Communicator.

There was static and then silence, "We can't reach the Command Center in here," Malcolm said in a nervous voice as he looked at Jason for direction. "We need to teleport out of here in small groups."

"You and Tommy go first," Laura said as she turned to Dr. Oliver; she was scared about being possibly trapped in a strange place with the other Rangers, but would rather stay than let Tommy die. "Kim…"

Suddenly recognizing the Pink Ninja Ranger, Rito cackled, "Well done, Princess Katherine," he said in an amused voice as he walked over to where Kimberly stood. "You brought me the Pink Ninja Ranger!"

"Why do you want me?" Kimberly asked, suddenly fearful. "I have nothing that would be useful…"

Rito cackled, "You have yourself," he replied as he swiftly removed Kimberly's face covering and hood.

"Leave Kimberly alone!" Tommy yelled in a hoarse voice as he tried to pull free from his uncle's hold.

Not wanting Tommy to suffer any more than he already had, Laura quickly hurried over to them and activated her teleportation device. Rito let out a roar of fury when she vanished with both of them.

"That annoying little Yellow Ranger will pay for that later!" Rito hissed in an angry voice. "In the meantime, Goldar, send these Power Punks back where they came from! They are useless!"

Goldar cackled and looked to Katherine, "You do the honors," he said, pleased by Katherine's evil.

"Of course, Goldar," Katherine replied smoothly as she turned to face the remaining five.

Before Katherine could use her magic staff, however, Rito vanished with Kimberly, "What just happened?" Billy asked in a horrified voice as Kimberly's Ninja Coin and Morpher were left behind.

Suddenly, the four Rangers were teleported out of the arena, "Farewell for now," a deep voice said.

* * *

Loud chattering greeted Jason, Billy, Adam, and Malcolm as they appeared on the football field at Angel Grove High School in their civilian clothes. They were surrounded by their fellow students and teachers.

"Attention students, school is now dismissed for the day due to internal damage," Mr. Caplan's voice could suddenly be heard coming over a loudspeaker. "If the damage is repaired by tomorrow, school will resume as usual…"

As the students began to walk off the field, Jason suddenly noticed Mark standing at a far corner of the field being supported by the young man named David he had met earlier, "…Kat was supposed to meet me in the library to help me with my homework," Mark was saying in a worried voice. "I still can't find my cane and I need it to get around..."

"I found your cane in the hallway," Billy said, suddenly finding that he had the cane in his hand.

Mark smiled, but didn't move, "Thank you for finding Mark's cane," David said as Billy handed the undamaged cane over to David, who eased it into Mark's hand. "Now if only we could find Kat…"

"I hope Kat didn't get hurt in the earthquake and end up in the hospital like that other kid," Mark replied in a worried voice. "I heard some heating pipes blew near Doctor Oliver's office during it…"

Suddenly realizing that Mark was referring to Tommy, Jason stepped forward, "Mark, that kid you said passed out from burst heating pipes during the quake; what was that kid's name?" he asked quietly.

"Tommy Oliver, I think," Mark replied, his sight making him unable to see David's look of astonishment.

Jason frowned, "I saw Tommy get hurt, but I didn't know it was that serious," he replied solemnly.

"Tommy's in the hospital?" Rocky said as he and Zack suddenly emerged from the departing crowd.

Jason nodded, "Our friend, Laura Hammond, went with Doctor Oliver in the ambulance to help," he replied, not wanting to talk about the real experience in front of all the people. "We should really go by the hospital and see how Tommy's doing. It's been a few hours since he was taken to the hospital."

"Guys, where's Kimberly?" Adam suddenly asked in a worried voice. "Did she go home already?"

Rocky and Zack exchanged a look, "David, can you help me try and find Kat?" Mark suddenly cut in, feeling a bit self-conscious in front of all of these people who were friends. "I have to do homework."

As David helped Mark walk away, Jason looked at Billy, Adam, Zack, Rocky, and Malcolm, "We should go visit Tommy first and then go to the Command Center to see if Zordon can find Kimberly," he said.

* * *

"She's so pretty," Katherine sneered as she watched Rito lay the unconscious Kimberly on a table within one of the many basement dungeons in the Moon Palace. "I don't understand why you wanted HER."

Rito chuckled, "I wanted one with a pure heart and a soul that I could taint with evil," he replied in an amused voice. "Did you really think I was going to keep you around after my sister and her ugly pile of metal of a husband left for bigger galaxies? You need to go back to your mortal life, Katherine."

"Mother and Father want me to help destroy the Rangers," Katherine replied in a shocked voice.

Goldar suddenly appeared in the dungeon, "If you go and finish Tommy off, I will let you destroy the Pink Ranger when you return," he said in a firm voice. "If you fail to do so, there will be consequences."

"I will not fail," Katherine promised, determined to finish what she had not been able to before.

As Katherine vanished, Goldar turned to Rito, "When the White Ninja Ranger is finished off, you will capture Prince Zedison and torture him into taking Tommy's place," Rito said menacingly.

"Prince Zedison is blind and has no memory of us," Goldar replied. "What about Zack or Rocky?"

Rito thought for a moment and then sighed, "Let us see if Katherine succeeds first," he replied.

* * *

Letting out a weary sigh, Dr. Oliver took his reading glasses off and stowed them in the pocket of the vest he had worn that day with his khakis, sneakers, and tan dress shirt. The book, a book on counseling troubled youth, had been placed on the bedside table. He was exhausted from the day beyond belief.

Almost immediately, however, Dr. Oliver's eyes traveled to Tommy, who lay unconscious in a hospital bed with a gown and blankets covering his body. IV's were all over his nephew's arms and hands and they, as well as an oxygen mask on his face, served as treatment for heat exhaustion and dehydration.

After being teleported from that desert-like arena, Dr. Oliver had made up some story about a heater exploding near his office and his nephew fainting from being overheated and dehydrated. Laura Hammond, who had helped them back to the school, had convinced everyone nearby of the story's validity and had come with them to the hospital to support them. Now, it was a waiting game.

A yawn suddenly escaped his lips and Dr. Oliver scooted himself over to Tommy's bedside, determined not to sleep or even have anything to eat until his nephew woke up, "Doctor Oliver?" the gentle voice of Laura suddenly filtered into the room. "The doctor says you have to eat and then rest, or he's going to admit you to the hospital just like he did Tommy. I went and got you some stew from the cafeteria."

Dr. Oliver turned his stool around and was surprised to see Laura standing there in the boots, bell bottom jeans, and yellow sweatshirt she had worn that day with a large bowl of stew in one hand and a large glass of juice in the other. Her backpack was on her back and she looked concerned.

"I hope you didn't use money from your fund for that," Dr. Oliver commented as Laura came into the room and set the items on the portable table. "Your job at Ernie's is only casual because of school and I want you saving all you can for your future. You also have to be saving money to help your sister."

Laura sighed, "It's all right," she replied in a gentle voice. "Tommy was the first person to reach out to me as a friend and I'm going to help him now. I can't worry about myself and my money right now."

"Well, Tommy's pretty weak right now," Dr. Oliver replied in a solemn voice. "Being in that space with that much heat while being strapped down pretty much cut off his oxygen for a period of time and the doctor isn't sure if there's going to be any brain damage. They're talking about a heart monitor too…"

Not wanting to cry in front of a student, Dr. Oliver sighed, reached into his pocket, and pulled out half of an arrowhead, "Tommy was wearing this around his neck when I first adopted him and I took it away so he wouldn't try and hurt himself with it," he explained as he gently put the item into Tommy's hand.

"You should eat that stew before it gets cold," Laura replied softly. "You need your strength too."

Knowing that Laura was right, Dr. Oliver got up from the stool and picked up the bowl of stew from the portable table. He moved over to the window and sat in a chair and Laura moved closer to the bed.

"Hang in there, Tommy," Laura whispered, gently patting his hand. "May the Power protect you."

* * *

The sight of David leading Mark across the courtyard greeted Billy, Jason, Malcolm, Zack, Rocky, and Adam as they came out of the school after getting their backpacks from their lockers. Jason sighed; maybe Mark really had no more power, but then why would Rita and Zedd have abandoned him?

"…I don't understand where Katherine went," Mark said as the six boys approached them. "She was supposed to come to the library and help me with my homework, but she never came for me."

David shrugged, "Mark, is everything all right?" Jason asked in a concerned voice. "You seem upset."

"I need help putting some of my homework on paper and Kat's not around," Mark replied in a worried voice as David turned him to face the others. "I can do the English and history work on my tape recorder, but my math teacher wants my math homework on paper and told me to get help for it."

Malcolm frowned, "Isn't your math book in Braille?" he asked in a worried voice.

"It is, but the teacher insists on everyone writing out their work and said that I can read the problem, write the answer out in Braille, and have someone translate it," Mark replied. "Even though Kat and I have been living with David since November, Kat's the only one who knows how to translate for me."

Malcolm suddenly smiled, "My mother was blind, so she and my father taught me to read and translate Braille into the written word when I was very young," he replied. "I can help you with that part after we get back from visiting Tommy at the hospital. Unfortunately, I'm not the best at math problems."

"I'm good at the math," Billy cut in, eager to help. "Mark, Malcolm and I can help you with your work."

Mark smiled, "That would be great," he replied. "David wanted to go to the hospital first, though…"

"Let's all go together," Rocky offered in a gentle voice. "My truck's big enough for all of us."

David smiled, but shook his head, "I'll take Mark in my truck," he replied, suddenly seeing that Mark looked uneasy about traveling with strangers. "I'll follow you there…I didn't catch your name."

"Rocky DeSantos," Rocky replied, smiling. "My friends are Adam Park, Jason Lee Scott, Malcolm Lee Scott, Billy Cranston, and Zack Taylor. Our friend, Laura Hammond, went to the hospital with Tommy."

Nodding, David whispered something to Mark and then silently led Mark off towards the parking lot.

"Let's get going," Jason said in a commanding tone. "I'm sure Tommy will enjoy our visit."

* * *

Making sure that her appearance was perfect, Katherine stepped off of the elevator and walked down the hallway towards Tommy's hospital room. She was surprised to see the door to it wide open.

"Hello Tommy," Katherine said in an evil voice as she entered the hospital room and was shocked to see Dr. Oliver and Laura both there. "What are you two doing here? I thought Tommy would be alone!"

Dr. Oliver quickly set the bowl of stew on the portable table and moved back to Tommy's bedside while Laura quickly assumed fighting stance, "Do you really think you're a match for me, Laura?" Katherine asked, unaware that David and Mark were making their way towards the room. "Try and take me on."

"Kat?" Mark's voice filtered into the room. "David, I think Kat's in here."

Katherine froze and she hurried out into the hallway, "Mark, I was just visiting a friend," she said in an apologetic voice. "I'll be just another minute, okay? Go back to the library and wait for me there."

"Kat, what's wrong?" David asked, suddenly noticing a glazed expression in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Katherine suddenly scowled, "Do I know you?" she asked, suddenly feeling Rito's influence on her.

"Sis, what's wrong?" Mark asked as he suddenly felt woozy and fainted, snapping his cane in half.

David frowned and checked Mark, "Kat, are you sick?" he asked in a worried voice. "Let me help."

"The Power Rangers will soon taste defeat," Katherine hissed evilly. "One Ranger at a time."

Inside the hospital room, Laura could overhear what David and Katherine were saying and she quickly raised her Communicator to her wrist, "Zordon, I'm at the hospital with Tommy, Doctor Oliver, and two innocent citizens," she whispered in an anxious voice. "Katherine is trying to get her hands on Tommy."

"Keep Katherine from entering the room and hurting Tommy or his uncle," Zordon replied. "I will contact the other Rangers and have them come to the hospital. May the power protect you Laura."

Laura looked to Doctor Oliver and quickly whipped out her Ninja Morpher, "Yellow Eagle Ninia Power," she whispered in a clear voice, not wanting David or Katherine to overhear her. "Hurry up guys."

* * *

Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep.

As Rocky pulled into the hospital parking lot, Jason raised his Communicator, "Go ahead, Zordon," he said in a concerned voice, gazing at Adam, Billy, Malcolm, Zack, Rocky, and Adam as he did so.

"Rangers, Katherine is currently attacking Tommy's hospital room and Laura is fighting her alone," Zordon's voice filtered out of the Communicator. "You need to morph and get to the hospital."

Rocky looked at Adam, Billy, Jason, and Malcolm, "You guys had better morph and get upstairs," he said, suddenly worried about Tommy and Laura. "You're all clear to morph out here. Nobody's around."

"It's Morphin Time, guys!" Jason yelled, holding out his morpher. "Red Lion Ninja Power!"

Malcolm quickly whipped out his morpher, "Orange Tiger Ninja Power!" he yelled.

"Blue Wolf Ninja Power!" Billy chanted in a determined voice as he whipped out his morpher.

Adam quickly whipped out his morpher and held it out, "Black Frog Ninja Power!" he yelled.

* * *

"Katherine is on a foolish quest," Rito chanted in an amused voice as he watched Baboo feed the unconscious Kimberly a potion that would drain her of all desire to be good. "Her time is ending."

Goldar gave Rito a look, "If you are going to use Kimberly, why did you allow me to send Katherine to fight the Power Rangers one by one?" he asked in a confused voice. "It makes no sense."

"Katherine is merely a distraction," Rito replied in a menacing voice. "While she keeps the Rangers busy, I will execute my real plan. My sister gave me magic to go back in time and make the world forget that Kimberly Hart, the first Pink Ranger, ever existed! I will kidnap the young Kimberly and brainwash her."

Goldar looked amused, "That will make the Power Rangers incomplete!" he hooted, deeply amused.

"Exactly," Rito replied in a determined voice. "The Rangers cannot act without a Pink Power Ranger!"

Deeply pleased with himself, Rito held out a small yo-yo, "When it is charged, I will go," he hissed. "The world will soon not remember Kimberly Hart."

* * *

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	24. Protecting Then, Preserving Now

The elevator doors slid open and Jason, Adam, Malcolm, and Billy ran down the hallway towards Tommy's hospital room. They saw Mark on the floor with David kneeling beside him.

"Wow, there actually are Power Rangers," David commented as he looked up and saw them.

Jason nodded, "Is he okay?" he asked, gazing at Mark. "What happened to him?"

"Katherine's not feeling well and Mark just fainted," David replied. "His cane broke when he fell."

A loud scream suddenly came from Tommy's hospital room, "You'd better go see what's going on in there, Rangers," David said in a concerned voice. "Mark will be fine, I think. I'll stay with him."

Jason nodded and he, Adam, Malcolm, and Billy hurried into Tommy's hospital room. Dr. Oliver was standing between Katherine and Tommy, protecting the unconscious Tommy from harm. A morphed Laura and angry Katherine were facing off at the other end of the room, neither one of them making a move.

"Ah, foolish girl, you called all your Power Ranger friends together!" Katherine hooted in an amused voice as she approached the other Rangers. "Master Rito and Goldar will be happy to see you!"

Suddenly, a faint groan sounded out from the bed, but before Katherine could go and attack Tommy, she was teleported from the room. A nurse hurried into the room and smiled when she saw the Power Rangers standing there, obviously making sure that the patients were safe from any trouble.

* * *

"Why did you take me away from the hospital?" Katherine hissed as she suddenly appeared in the throne room where Rito and Goldar waited. "Tommy was just beginning to wake up!"

Rito cackled, "I am about to embark on a plan that will rob the world of any memory of the Pink Ranger!" he roared in an excited voice. "Once the world has forgotten Kimberly, I will use her as a new evil slave and I will have no use for you any longer. You have served well, but now you are done."

"Mother and Father wanted me to lead the assault!" Katherine yelled in an angry voice. "They…"

Rito cackled and with of a wave of his arm, Katherine found her staff gone and her princess dress gone, leaving her in blue overalls and a pink shirt, "Your parents are not here and can do nothing!" he roared in an angry voice. "I am now in charge and I have deemed you useless to any future plans of mine!"

Katherine screamed as she was teleported out of the throne room with no powers to guide her anymore, "The device is ready!" Rito roared as he lifted the orb into the air. "Back in time I go."

* * *

"Zordon, if Rito manages to go back in time and capture young Kimberly, the power will become useless and the Rangers will be unable to defend Earth!" Alpha cried, alarmed what he had been seeing in the Viewing Globe. "We have to find some way to stop Rito Revolto from changing history!"

Zordon nodded, "Prepare two time devices and summon the Rangers," he replied in a grave voice.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha replied as he hurried off to the Chamber of Light to work on the time devices.

* * *

"Tommy, how are you feeling?" Laura asked in a concerned voice as she gazed down at Tommy, who was awake but still looking very groggy from being unconscious for hours. She gently patted his hand.

Tommy let out a tired sigh, relieved that his uncle and Laura were there, "Where's Kim?" he asked in a groggy voice as he struggled to keep his eyes open long enough to see Kimberly. "I'm so tired."

"Kimberly's probably going to come with the others after school lets out," Laura replied in a gentle voice, hating to see Tommy so confused and in obvious discomfort. "I came with you and your uncle in the ambulance to make sure your uncle could get some rest if he needed it. How are you feeling?"

Before Tommy, who was on the verge of going back to sleep, could reply, Jason, Malcolm and Adam came into the room, "Where's Billy and Kimberly?" Laura asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"Billy's visiting with David until a doctor clears Mark to go home," Jason replied. "Mark fainted."

Suddenly realizing that nobody was mentioning Kimberly, Tommy frowned, "Jason, where's Kimberly at?" he asked in a very faint voice. "I remember being teleported out of the arena with Laura…"

Malcolm and Adam exchanged a concerned look, "Right before we left, Rito grabbed Kimberly and sent us back to the football field demorphed," Adam replied. "We don't know what's happened to her."

"We need to…" Tommy said as he tried to sit up and suddenly winced. "I feel so dizzy from sitting up."

Dr. Oliver sighed and gently raised the bed using the controls, "You're not in any shape to do anything but rest," he said in a firm voice as Tommy lay back on the pillow. "I want you just to relax and sleep."

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep beep._

"What is it, Alpha?" Malcolm asked as he raised his Communicator. "Katherine was teleported out…"

Alpha whimpered, "Malcolm, you and Jason need to teleport to the Command Center!" he replied.

Jason and Malcolm exchanged a look, "Laura and I will stay here," Adam offered. "You two go."

"Guys, be careful," Tommy whispered as he slowly drifted back to sleep. "I'm counting on you…"

As Jason and Malcolm teleported away, Dr. Oliver gave Laura, Adam and Billy a concerned look.

* * *

Jason and Malcolm quickly touched down in the Command Center and were surprised when Alpha immediately offered them items that looked like ordinary pocket watches, "Jason, Malcolm, Rito Revolto has captured Kimberly," Zordon said in a grave tone. "He has banished Katherine from the Moon Palace and has gone back in time to kidnap the younger version of Kimberly for brainwashing."

"If Rito captures Kimberly's younger self, history will be changed," Jason replied in a concerned voice.

Zordon nodded, "He plans to make the world forget that Kimberly ever existed and then brainwash Kimberly into serving as a slave of evil," he explained. "You two will need to put on disguises and travel back in time to when you were all powerless children. You two will serve as teachers at the school."

"These watches will help you travel back in time to when you were all very small," Alpha explained as he hung the watches around Jason and Malcolm's necks. "It is important that you do nothing to change history even if you recognize the opportunity to, as even the smallest thing could change the present."

Malcolm looked concerned, "What disguises are we going to wear, Zordon?" he asked in a worried voice as he mentally prepared to travel back in time. "How are we going to gain the trust of the citizens?"

Alpha worked some consoles and Jason found himself dressed in loafers, smart dress pants, a crisp dress shirt, a red tie, and a smart looking jacket, "Jason, you will be a teacher at Angel Grove Elementary during your time in the past," Zordon explained in a grave tone. "Your job is to watch for Rito."

Malcolm suddenly found himself wearing a professional martial arts outfit complete with Ninja-like slippers, "Malcolm, you will be a children's taekwondo instructor at the Angel Grove dojo," Zordon said in a grave tone. "Remember; do not do anything to alter the course of history. Only stop Rito from kidnapping young Kimberly and once Rito is back in the present, come back immediately."

"I understand," Malcolm replied, wondering why Zordon was giving him such a warning now.

Zordon smiled, "May the power protect you both," he replied. "Alpha, activate the teleporter."

Jason and Malcolm exchanged a look as Alpha activated the teleported and they were sent away.

* * *

Angel Grove Elementary School – 1987

"…Nya, nya, nya, you can't catch me!" Jason heard as he walked out on to the playground of Angel Grove Elementary School and found kids playing on the grass and on wooden equipment. He smiled and walked across the grass towards the jungle gym where six young kids were sitting with nothing to do.

One of the kids, a brown haired girl who was wearing a pink dress, smiled at Jason as he approached, "Hi Mr. Scott," she said in a kind voice. "I'm Kimberly Hart; are you our new Phys Ed teacher?"

"Yes, I am," Jason replied in a gentle voice, remembering the persona Alpha had given him. "Hello."

Young Kimberly smiled and looked to the boy wearing a red shirt and jean shorts, "Jason, maybe Mr. Scott can help you and Malcolm with your problem," she said, giving her friend a reassuring smile.

"What's your problem, Jason?" Jason asked as he looked at his younger self. "Maybe I can help you."

Young Jason frowned, "It's not my problem, it's Malcolm's," he replied, gesturing to the boy next to him; Young Malcolm was dressed in overalls and a white shirt. "He's sad because my dad and his dad fight."

Before Jason, who suddenly realized that he was there not long before Malcolm's family moved away from Angel Grove, could reply, Rito appeared in the middle of the playground brandishing his bone sword and cackling at all the children menacingly. Jason immediately gathered the five behind him.

"Mister Scott, can you take us to the dojo?" Young Zack suddenly spoke up. "It's scary here."

Young Malcolm nodded, "My daddy can protect us there and if that bony guy tries to hurt us, Jason's dad drives ambulances!" he said in an excited voice. "You should tell Miss Appleby about that scary…"

"Mister Scott, there you are!" a younger Miss Appleby said as she suddenly came running out of the school towards him and the kids, trying to get to him through the kids running into the school.

Jason smiled as Miss Appleby approached, "Mister Scott, could you please evacuate these children to the dojo next door?" she asked in a harried voice. "I have to help the other teachers calm the other children. When everything's clear, I'll phone Master Lee Scott at the dojo and let him know."

"Of course I can," Jason replied, relieved that he would soon have Malcolm to help him. "Come on kids."

Rito let out a roar of fury, "You're not going anywhere!" he yelled. "Your battle is with me!"

Thinking that this was some high school prankster celebrating Halloween early, Miss Appleby hurried over to Rito and slapped his face, "You just hold it right there, young man!" she snapped. "This is an elementary school and your childish prank has gone far enough! Wait until I call your parents!"

As Miss Appleby continued to lecture the bewildered Rito, Jason quickly ushered the six kids across the playground towards the gate. Suddenly, Young Kimberly fell on the rocks hard and began to cry loudly.

"Owwie!" Young Kimberly cried as she suddenly felt pain in her ankle. "Mr. Scott, my ankle hurts."

Rito suddenly knocked over Miss Appleby and came towards Jason and the kids, "Let's have a race, okay kids?" Jason suggested as he carefully scooped up Young Kimberly in his arms. "We're all gonna see who can beat that bony guy to the dojo. Everyone pick a buddy and ready, get set, and go! Run really fast!"

All of the children grabbed hands and quickly ran out of the school yard, "Mister Scott, run!" Miss Appleby said in a frantic voice even though she was injured. "I'll try and find out who he is!"

"_Your job is to protect Kimberly from being kidnapped by Rito. Do not do anything except protect Kimberly, as any little thing could alter the present." _Zordon's voice echoed in Jason's mind as he reluctantly turned and ran out of the schoolyard with Young Kimberly in his arms. As much as he wanted to make sure Ms. Appleby was okay, he had to stay focused on protecting Young Kimberly from Rito.

* * *

Angel Grove Dojo – 1987

"Greetings, Mister Lee," Malcolm suddenly heard a voice say as he finished setting up several blue mats for the young martial arts students to learn their moves on. "You're early, which is a very good sign."

Malcolm turned and was shocked to see a younger version of his father standing there in a black karategi and slippers with his hair cropped above his ears, "Master Lee Scott, right?" he asked.

Tyler Lee Scott looked very serious for a moment and then smiled, "You can call me Tyler before the kids show up," he replied in an amused voice. "I was out getting a haircut and meeting a friend, but I guess I left this place unlocked out of habit. Anyway, know that we know each other, what do you think?"

"It's a nice dojo," Malcolm replied, gazing around at the décor. "How long have you owned it for?"

Tyler smiled, "I opened it the day after Karen and I got married," he replied in a pleasant voice. "My beautiful Karen is visually impaired and doesn't go out much, but my son comes every day after school and helps me with the classes. He's still learning himself, but I wouldn't trade Malcolm for anything."

Malcolm forced himself to keep silent and nod; he wanted so desperately to reveal his true self, but Zordon and Alpha had warned him and Jason to stay focused and not to alter any part of the past.

Suddenly, a loud crying sound could be heard and Malcolm was shocked to see Jason come into the dojo with a crying little girl in his arms and four boys and a girl following after him, "Daddy!" Malcolm suddenly heard his younger self say. "Some bony guy attacked us on the playground and Miss Appleby is yelling at him so Mister Scott could get us here to you. Kimberly fell on the rocks and hurt her ankle!"

"Mister Lee, keep an eye on these kids while I go use the phone in my office," Tyler said in a concerned voice as he watched Jason gently set the Young Kimberly on a folded pile of mats. "My brother's a paramedic and I'm sure I can talk him into coming by here with his ambulance. Besides, I need to talk to Thomas anyway about something important. Kids, listen to Mister Scott and Mister Lee, okay?"

As Tyler walked off, Malcolm looked at Jason, "Tyler's my father," he whispered. "I can't believe it."

"Malcolm, we can't reveal anything," Jason whispered. "Let's focus on helping the children."

From her place on the mats, Young Kimberly sniffled, "My ankle really hurts," she said in a scared voice.

"Don't worry, Kimberly, my daddy drives ambulances and helps people!" Young Jason said in an encouraging voice as he put an arm around his friend. "He's got bandages and medicine to help!"

Young Malcolm suddenly sniffled, "Every time our dads get together, they fight a lot," he said in an upset voice. "Whenever they fight, I get stomachaches and throw up. I just wanna go home."

"Guys, let's work on the moves Master Lee Scott taught us during our class yesterday," Young Zack suddenly spoke up as Young Malcolm lay on the mats beside Kimberly with a hand on his stomach.

Young Trini nodded and followed Young Zack over to the mats Malcolm had set up. As they began working on some moves, Jason and Malcolm walked over to where Young Jason was trying to keep Young Malcolm and Young Kimberly calm, "When I was little, Malcolm, I felt the same way when my family used to fight," Malcolm said in a gentle voice as he sat next to his younger self on the mats.

"I just want my daddy and Jason's daddy to stop fighting," Malcolm whispered. "Fighting is really bad."

Malcolm nodded, but before he could reply, Rito came running into the dojo brandishing his bone sword at the kids, "Time to play!" Rito cackled as he approached the kids. "I want to play with you, kiddies!"

"Nobody messes with my friends!" Young Jason said as he did a jump and landed in front of where Young Malcolm and Young Kimberly were. "Mister Scott, can you help Malcolm and Kimberly?"

Jason quickly hurried over to his younger self, "All I want is Kimberly!" Rito yelled in an anxious voice.

"What on earth is going on here?" Tyler Lee Scott asked as he came back into the main area and saw Rito intent on terrorizing the children and his helpers. "I don't allow high school pranksters here."

Rito scoffed and suddenly began to flicker, "ARGH, my power is draining!" he roared angrily.

"Better luck next time, Rito," Jason said in an amused voice. "You have obviously failed this time."

Again, Rito flickered and he groaned, "Darn energy depletion!" he moaned, quickly disappearing.

"I heard that a little girl was hurt," a younger Thomas Lee Scott said as he suddenly walked into the dojo wearing his paramedic uniform and holding a medical kit. "Jason, what are you doing out of school?"

Tyler sighed, "Some prankster in a skeleton costume came to the school and scared them all off the playground," he explained. "Thankfully one of their teachers, Mister Scott, helped them get here and he carried Kimberly because she couldn't walk. My apprentice, Mister Lee, helped protect the children."

"Ah, let's see your ankle, Kimberly," Thomas said in a gentle voice as he walked over to where she was sitting with her ankle in the air. "Oh, sweetie, it's already starting to swell up and bruise. Hang on."

As Thomas examined Young Kimberly's ankle, Jason moved over to where Malcolm was standing, "As I walked on to the playground, I remembered that this wasn't long before your dad sold his dojo and moved your family to Crystal Valley," he whispered to Malcolm. "It was on this day that…"

"The big fight," Malcolm replied in a whisper, his heart suddenly sinking. "I remember it very well."

Jason sighed, "We can't get involved and we can't do anything about it," he said, knowing how much it would hurt Malcolm to leave this situation as it was. "I know you wish it were different, Malcolm, and so do I, but it's not; we have to go back to the present now that Rito has failed in his mission. Let's go."

"Mister Lee, perhaps you can show me out of the dojo?" Jason asked in a gentle voice. "I should get back to the school and see how the other kids are doing. I hope you feel better soon, Kimberly."

Tyler nodded and smiled, "See you at class, Mr. Lee," he said in a gentle voice as he turned away.

"Thomas, would you and your family like to come to dinner tonight?" Malcolm heard Tyler ask in a gentle voice. "It's been a while and Karen's got these new Braille paintings she wants to share…"

Jason gently tapped Malcolm on the shoulder and Malcolm reluctantly followed Jason out of the main area and into the empty hallway, "I remember that my dad sold this place to Ernie and it became a Juice Bar after we moved away," Malcolm said as he pulled the watch out and held it in his palm. "Ready?"

Before Jason could get his watch out, however, Tyler came out into the hall with two small colored triangle-shaped stones in his hands, "Mister Scott, Mister Lee, thank you for keeping the children safe from that prankster," he said as he handed the triangles to both of them. "These are spirit stones that I found when I went camping with Thomas once and I want you two to have them for your courage."

"Thank you," Malcolm replied in a gentle voice, relieved for one last moment with his father.

Tyler smiled, bowed, and hurried back into the main area, "Let's go home," Malcolm said in a quiet voice as he caressed the stone in one hand and the watch in the other. "Let's go before I change my mind."

"Zordon will want to know about these stones," Jason replied as he pulled out his watch. "Let's go!"

A tear fell from Malcolm's eye as he and Jason teleported out of the dojo, back to the present day.

* * *

_What have I done? _Katherine thought as she appeared in the hospital hallway outside of Tommy's room and through the small window she saw Adam, Laura, Billy, and Dr. Oliver gathered around a hospital bed where Tommy lay asleep and hooked up to several IV's and a heart monitor. _Did I hurt him that badly?_

Fighting the urge to throw up, Katherine moved away from the door and forced herself to move down the hallway towards the elevator. She had been under Rito Revolto's spell and his forcing her to try and hurt the Power Rangers had caused her to put Tommy in the hospital in very serious condition.

"Katherine?" David asked as he suddenly came out of the room where Mark was resting and saw her.

Katherine suddenly looked concerned, "David, what are you doing here?" she asked. "Where's Mark?"

"Mark fainted from some sort of shock," David replied gently, relieved to see that Katherine's eyes were no longer glazed over and she seemed all right. "Are you feeling better now, Katherine? You kind of…"

Katherine nodded and tears suddenly came to her eyes, "David, I don't know what got into me earlier," she said, struggling to keep her emotions in check. "I hope you and Mark can eventually forgive me."

David nodded and gently put an arm around Kat, "Mark's been asking for you," he said as he led Kat into the hospital room where Mark was resting on a hospital bed in his street clothes. "Mark? Kat's here."

Sniffling, Katherine ran over to Mark and gently hugged him, smiling when Mark returned the hug. She would make amends, one person at a time.

* * *

Reviews?


	25. New And Unsettled Demons

Present Day

"Well done Jason and Malcolm," Zordon said as Jason and Malcolm touched down in the Command Center in their disguises with the stones in their hands. "The world will not forget Kimberly now."

Jason nodded and held up his stone, "Malcolm's father gave us these right before we left," he said in a concerned voice, deeply worried that time would now be altered somehow. "What are they?"

"Alpha, take the stones and analyze them," Zordon said in a commanding voice. "I do not think that such stones will alter anything in the present, Jason. However, they may prove of some importance later on."

Alpha hurried over and took the stone from Jason, "Malcolm?" Alpha asked, suddenly noticing that Malcolm was pacing the Command Center and not really paying attention. "Malcolm, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Malcolm said, suddenly realizing that Jason and Alpha were looking at him. "Oh sorry, Alpha."

Realizing that Malcolm was still thinking about leaving the past as it was and his family the way it had ended up, Jason walked over to him, "We did what we had to do," Jason said in a gentle voice.

"I know," Malcolm replied in a soft voice. "It doesn't make it any easier to see him and then not…"

Letting out a sigh, Malcolm walked over to Alpha and handed over the other stone, "Any luck in locating Kimberly?" he asked in a concerned voice. "First Tommy ends up in the hospital and now Jason and I get sent back in time; it would be a lot easier for us to defend Earth as a team if we could find Kimberly."

"Capturing Kimberly is all part of Rito Revolto's plan to make the Ninja Powers useless," Zordon replied in a grave tone. "Because of his time in the Dungeon of Fire, Tommy is unable to use his Ninja Powers until he regains his strength naturally. With Kimberly's Crane Ninja Coin missing and Tommy incapacitated, the Ninja Zords cannot be combined, only summoned as individual Zords to fight evil."

Jason and Malcolm exchanged a worried glance, "Rito's time in the past came to a quick end because of his limited power supply," Zordon explained. "However, you must always be on guard; all of you."

"What about Katherine and Zedison?" Jason asked worriedly. "We saw both of them in mortal forms."

Zordon sighed, "They are currently powerless," he replied solemnly. "As you are in danger of becoming."

"We will work on a plan to keep that from happening," Alpha replied. "Go back and protect Tommy."

* * *

Laura stood by the hospital room window in silence, anxious for Adam and Billy to convince Dr. Oliver to go home and leave her with the guilt that she carried; why was Kimberly taken away and not her?

"Laura, are you all right?" Rocky asked as he walked over to where Laura was standing. "You look tired."

Laura looked over at the hospital bed where Tommy was sleeping and at the cot where Dr. Oliver had finally been convinced to have a sleep. "Where did Adam and Billy go, Rocky?" she asked softly.

"They went to the cafeteria to get you something for dinner," Rocky replied. "You've been here since Tommy was brought to the hospital and you also need to take care of yourself. You look tired."

Laura smiled, sighed, and walked back over to Tommy's bedside, "I've been tired since I was ten years old," she replied in a semi-amused voice. "I had to be the adult and take care of Ashley, so I learned how to operate on fumes alone. Even now, when Ashley's not here, that instinct hasn't really gone away."

Tommy suddenly opened his eyes and gazed groggily at the two of them, "Hey," he said in a tired voice.

"How are you feeling, Tommy?" Rocky asked in a concerned voice. "You're looking a little bit stronger."

Tommy sighed, "I'm still pretty tired, but the dizziness is gone," he replied. "Where's Uncle Frank at?"

"A nurse came in about an hour ago with a cot and finally convinced him to rest," Laura replied in a kind voice as she rolled the portable tray that now held a tray holding a covered item close to the bed. "She also left you some chicken soup and water if you're feeling up to eating. Do you want me to help you?"

Before Tommy could reply, Jason and Malcolm came into the room, "Hey Tommy," Jason said, smiling at his friend as he and Malcolm approached the bed. "How are you feeling now that you've rested more?"

"Did you guys find Kimberly?" Tommy asked in a faint, but hopeful voice. "Oh no, you didn't, did you?"

Jason shook his head, "We also learned that you can't use your powers again until you're stronger," he replied in a solemn voice. "Zordon told us that without Kimberly's power, we can't even combine the Zords. For now, though, you should focus on getting better and we need to focus on helping you."

"You won't be able to regain your strength if you don't eat," Laura said softly. "Kim would want you to."

Tommy sighed, "Yeah, I guess she would," he replied softly. "I'll try to eat if you guys help me."

"We're your friends, Tommy," Malcolm said in a gentle voice. "Friends help each other in everything."

* * *

Regret pierced Katherine's heart and she stepped away from Tommy's hospital room; she had intended on going in and apologizing for her behavior and what she had done to Kimberly, but her courage was gone after hearing Malcolm's statement about friends. In reality, she didn't deserve any friends.

A nurse suddenly approached her, "Miss Hillard, your brother is ready to go home," she said in a gentle voice as she noticed that Kat was near Tommy's room. "Are you a friend of Mr. Oliver, dear?"

"No, just a classmate," Katherine replied in a toneless voice. "I heard he was brought in this afternoon…"

The nurse nodded, "Yes he was, the poor dear," she replied in a motherly tone. "His uncle and a Miss Laura Hammond came in with him, but I think his uncle is resting. Anyway, the poor dear should be fine enough to leave the hospital in a few days if he rests and eats enough. He's certainly got enough visitors to last him a lifetime, but as long as they're quiet, I don't mind. Did you want to go in and see him?"

"No thank you," Katherine replied softly, certain that Tommy would be unforgiving of her actions and convince the Rangers to be just as unforgiving. "You said my brother, Mark, was ready to leave?"

The nurse nodded and smiled just as David came out of the room, pushing a tired looking Mark in a wheelchair, "Mark, how are you feeling?" Katherine asked, grateful for the distraction he gave her.

"Better," Mark replied in a sleepy voice. "David told me you weren't feeling well earlier, Kat."

Katherine sighed and walked over to David, "I was a little tired, but I'm feeling better now," she replied in a gentle voice as she slipped her hand into his. "If you're ready to go home, we can leave."

"Kat, why don't you take Mark down to my truck?" David asked as he handed Kat the keys. "I just want to make sure that Mark didn't forget anything. Warm up the truck and I'll be along in a minute."

Before Kat or Mark could protest, David ducked back into Mark's hospital room. Katherine sighed, released Mark's hand, and gently wheeled her brother towards the elevator. David, meanwhile, intended to wait until Dr. Oliver and Tommy were alone; he needed to talk to Dr. Oliver right away.

* * *

"…Okay, so I'll sit on Laura and you feed her the sandwich bit by bit if she doesn't eat by herself," Adam suggested as he and Billy stepped off the elevator with a wrapped sandwich, a bottle of juice, and a wrapped cinnamon roll on a cafeteria tray in their hands. "She's gotta eat something, Billy."

Billy nodded, "I'm sure we won't have to force Laura to eat as long as Tommy is still awake," he replied as they walked across the emergency room to the other elevator. "Laura's probably very hungry."

"…Mom, pass me the bucket," a familiar moan carried across the ER. "I'm gonna be sick again."

There was a horrible, loud retching sound, "Oh Eugene, poor baby," a gentle cooing voice suddenly carried over from a patient area. Adam and Billy exchanged a concerned look? Was Skull nearby?

The curtain suddenly pulled back and Adam and Billy were shocked to see Skull laying on the hospital bed in his street clothes looking pale, "Skull?" Adam asked, frowning at how sick Skull looked to him.

"Ah, friends from your school, dear?" Mrs. Skullovitch asked, smiling at Adam and Billy as she took the filled bedpan away and handed him a clean one. "Could you visit with him while I get a nurse, please?"

Skull groaned as his mother walked away and his nose began to bleed, "There's an icepack in that bowl over there," he said in an upset voice. "My mom said if my nose bleeds, I should use it."

Adam nodded, hurried over to the bowl, grabbed the icepack, and delivered it to Skull without so much as a peep, "Thanks," Skull replied as he held it to the side of his nose. "What do you want, dweebs?"

"Why are you in the hospital?" Billy asked gently. "Did you get hurt during that earthquake today?"

Skull sighed, "I've not been feeling well for a while and I almost passed out in front of my mom when I got home from school today," he replied in a deadbeat voice. "She brought me here and they took some blood and now I'm supposed to stay here overnight for observation. My first treatment's tomorrow…"

"Treatment?" Adam asked, wondering what treatment Skull was referring to. "Treatment for what?"

Skull suddenly looked very uncomfortable, "Chemotherapy treatment," he replied in a semi-annoyed voice as he lowered the bloodstained ice pack. "I had cancer when I was younger and I had some treatments that made me sick and the cancer went away. Now it's back and I have to have more."

"Skull, that's awful," Adam replied in a worried voice. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Skull sighed and quickly unzipped his jacket, revealing a hospital shirt, "If you could help me take this jacket off so I can sleep easier, that would be great," he said in a tired voice. "And tell Bulk for me."

Adam and Billy set the tray down on a table and carefully helped Skull take off his jacket, "Thanks," Skull said as he lay back on his pillow, showing his arm that had a cotton ball taped to it. "I hate needles."

"Eugene, I'm back with a nurse," Mrs. Skullovitch said as she suddenly came back with a middle aged lady in pink scrubs at her heels. "Thank you so much, boys, for being a good friend to my Eugene."

Adam nodded as Mrs. Skullovitch gave Skull a hug, "Oh, my poor baby," she said in a soothing tone as she held Skull close to her. "Have a good evening, boys. My Eugene needs to get some rest now."

"Feel better, Skull," Billy said as he picked up the tray and moved back. "Let's go upstairs, Adam."

As Adam and Billy walked away, the curtain was again drawn, but Skull's secret was now known. Adam and Billy, however, wanted to keep it a secret...for now.

* * *

"I can't eat any more," Tommy said in a tired voice as he swallowed a mouthful of soup. "I'm sorry."

Laura nodded and returned the spoon to the bowl of soup which was still more than half full, "That's all right, Tommy, you did well," she said in an encouraging tone. "Five bites is really, really good."

"I'm tired and thinking about Kimberly is making me even more tired," Tommy replied in a faint voice as he took a deep breath to calm his troubled mind. "Now that I can't morph, I feel even more useless."

Jason sighed, "You can't morph until your strength comes back," he replied. "It's not permanent."

"Kimberly or your Uncle Frank wouldn't want you talking like that anyway," Malcolm cut in.

Tommy sighed and suddenly, Dr. Oliver sat up on the cot on the far side of Tommy's bed, "You're right, Malcolm, I don't want my nephew talking like that," Dr. Oliver said as he got up from the cot and walked over to the hospital bed. "I think that kind of talk is a sign that Tommy's getting tired and needs sleep."

"We'll come by again tomorrow," Jason promised in a gentle voice. "Hang in there and get some rest."

Tommy nodded, "Oh, if school's back in session tomorrow, I won't be there," Dr. Oliver cut in as he smiled at Jason, Laura, Malcolm, and Rocky. "I'm going to spend the day doing paperwork here."

"I'll let Mr. Caplan know for you," Malcolm promised in a gentle voice. "Have a good night, Tommy."

Rocky moved towards the door, "Do you need a lift to the shelter, Laura?" he asked worriedly.

"No, I'm not scared of the dark," Laura replied in a gentle voice. "I'll walk back to the shelter."

Jason frowned, "Laura, even in Angel Grove it's not real safe for a pretty young woman like you to be walking around alone at night," he said in a gentle voice. "If anything happened to you out there…"

"All right," Laura replied, blushing furiously at Jason's comments. "See you later, Tommy."

Dr. Oliver fought the urge to chuckle as Jason, Rocky, Malcolm, and Laura left the room, "Is it just me, or does Jason have a crush on Laura?" he whispered in an amused voice. "Tommy, what do you…?"

Suddenly concerned by the silence, Dr. Oliver looked at Tommy and smiled when he saw that Tommy had fallen into a deep sleep with the arrowhead half still in his hand. Chuckling softly, Dr. Oliver gently used the controls to lower the bed a little bit and then covered Tommy's chest with the blanket.

"Excuse me, sir?" David asked as he suddenly came into the room. "Are you Frank Oliver, by chance?"

Dr. Oliver nodded and walked around the hospital bed, "I just kicked everyone else out so Tommy could sleep," he replied gently. "I don't believe I've seen you before. Are you a friend of Tommy's?"

"My name is David Trueheart," David replied in a gentle voice. "I'm Tommy's brother."

Dr. Oliver's eyes widened in shock, "David," he said in a shocked voice. "I thought you had died…"

"No, I was adopted by a man named Sam Trueheart," David replied. "I thought Tommy had died."

Dr. Oliver shook his head, "I adopted him in San Francisco when he was little," he replied in a gentle voice, not wanting Tommy to wake up. "Before we came to Angel Grove, we lived in Reefside."

"I don't want to wake Tommy up right now," David said, knowing that whatever had happened to Tommy, it was fairly serious. "Can I come back in the next couple of days and see him while Mark and Kat are in school? I'm a senior and I have some spares, so I could come if you want me to come."

Dr. Oliver smiled, "That would actually be a very good idea," he replied, eager for Tommy and David to meet and get to know one another. "Maybe in the next couple of days, he'll have enough energy to start going for walks and get some of his strength back. For now, I think he should just stay in bed and rest."

"I think so too," David replied in a gentle voice as he backed away. "I'll see you later, Doctor Oliver."

As David left, Dr. Oliver walked back over to the cot and sat down. He gently took Tommy's hand in his own and was surprised at how cold it felt; Rito's torture had done a number on Tommy; a bad one.

"Oh Tommy," Dr. Oliver said with a deep sigh in his voice. "Hang in there; please don't give up, kiddo."

* * *

_Where am I? _Kimberly wondered as she opened her eyes and saw that she was in a dark, dungeon-like room with the only light coming from a small barred window in the corner of the room._ Who am I?_

"You are Kimberly Hart of Earth," Rito said as he appeared before her with his bone sword.

Kimberly froze at the sight of Rito, "Why am I here?" she asked in a worried voice. "It's cold here."

"You were a Power Ranger, but the Rangers left you behind," Rito lied as he showed her the Pink Ninja Morpher and Crane Power Coin. "You can use these to transform and destroy your fellow Rangers."

Kimberly made a face, "Why would I want to transform?" she hissed. "It sounds really disgusting."

"If you don't want it, I could use it," Rito lied in a distressed voice. "I am so weak from fighting…"

Kimberly suddenly looked sorrowful, "I wish I could do something to help you," she said, angry that the Power Rangers would leave her behind helpless. "Please let me help you if I can; really let me. You're the only one who seems to care I'm here."

"You can," Rito said as he took Kimberly's hand and pressed it against the Coin. "Give me your strength."

* * *

_Power from the goodness in Kimberly's heart and from the Pink Ninja Crane Coin surged from Kimberly to Rito as the two held hands. Rito cackled madly and Kimberly smiled, thinking she was helping him._

"_With your help, my dear Kimberly, we shall destroy the Power Rangers," Rito said in a gentle voice._

_Kimberly laughed evilly and smiled, kissing Rito in delight, "It will be my pleasure," she replied, amused._

"No…Kim," Tommy gasped, breathing heavily as he fumbled around for his Morpher. "NO!"

Tommy's eyes popped open and he sat up breathing heavily enough that he threw up all over his blanket and gagged violently, "Tommy, you had a nightmare," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as he stood up, leaned forward, and pressed the nurse's call button. "Breathe deep and relax, okay?"

"I can't breathe," Tommy moaned, fighting the urge to throw up again as a nurse hurried into the room.

Grateful that his nephew's Morpher and Falcon Power Coin were stored safely in his jacket pockets, Dr. Oliver carefully whipped the dirty blanket off the bed as the nurse hurried over to the cupboard to grab another blanket and a clean gown. Tommy wheezed and pulled off his gown, relieved when the nurse came back with a clean blanket and gown. As the nurse redressed Tommy, Dr. Oliver stepped back.

"There we go," the nurse said in a gentle voice as she helped Tommy lay back on his pillow and covered him with a very clean, much larger blanket. "Do you want a little medicine to help you sleep?"

Dr. Oliver nodded and smiled at the nurse, "I think that would be a wise idea," he replied, effectively cutting any protests Tommy might make off. "Tommy had a nightmare about what happened to him."

Nodding, the nurse put the dirty blanket into a laundry hamper and walked over to a locked cupboard in the corner of the room. She used a set of keys to unlock a cupboard and get out a small vial of medication and a tiny syringe. Seeing the needle made Tommy shiver, but he remained quiet.

Giving Tommy a sympathetic smile, the nurse came back over to the bed, put some of the medication into the needle, and inserted the needle into the IV line, "This is for your own good, Tommy," Dr. Oliver said, gently stroking his nephew's hand to keep him calm. "You need sleep without interruptions."

"Stay with me," Tommy whispered as he succumbed to the sedative and fell asleep. "Don't leave..."

The nurse stepped away with the empty needle and Dr. Oliver sighed; even now, Tommy had an intense fear of abandonment stemming from his time in state psychiatric care. As the nurse left the room, Dr. Oliver released Tommy's hand and tucked it under the blanket; hopefully, Tommy would heal someday.

* * *

As she saw Rocky's truck turn the corner, Laura stepped out of the shelter entranceway and sighed; she had no desire to sleep after experiencing the vision she had been granted during the ride from the hospital; she had seen Kimberly succumb to Rito's spell and vow to help him destroy all the Rangers.

No matter what Jason or Rocky said, Laura was determined to walk back to the hospital and keep an eye on both Tommy and Dr. Oliver just in case Rito tried to capture them again. She had her Morpher if there was any trouble and there was nobody at the shelter who would miss her anyway; hunger was no longer a problem as she had eaten in Rocky's truck and had thanked them all for caring about her.

Letting out a tired sigh, Laura began walking back down the dark sidewalk towards the hospital, silently hoping that she could get back up to Tommy's room without trouble. As she walked, Laura found that she was comforted by the quiet and the cool air; it gave her time to think and reflect on her past.

A loud horn suddenly sounded and Laura didn't turn; she walked even faster in the direction of the hospital and didn't stop even when she heard a car park behind her and car doors open and close.

"Laura Hammond?" Laura heard as she saw Katherine approach. "What are you doing out here?"

Laura frowned, "Out where?" she asked in a confused voice. "I'm walking back to the hospital."

"You're at the edge of town, headed towards the reservation," Katherine replied in a worried voice as the headlights from David's truck suddenly shone on them both. "Why are you out alone in the dark?"

Laura silently gazed around, horrified to see rocks and earth instead of buildings, "I must have been so deep in thought that I went the wrong way," she replied in a soft voice. "I decided to go back to the hospital and keep an eye on Tommy and Doctor Oliver. Katherine, you don't look angry anymore."

"No, Rito took the spell off me after he captured Kimberly," Katherine replied in a solemn voice.

Laura frowned, "I had a vision about Rito tricking Kimberly into giving him the Pink Ninja Powers," she said in a hushed voice. "He tricked her into thinking that the Power Rangers had left her there."

"Oh, this is all my fault," Katherine replied in a sorrowful voice. "I need to make amends to the others."

Letting out a sigh, Laura took a step closer to Katherine, "You were under a spell, just like I was," she said in a gentle voice. "I think what you should do is talk to Zordon and Alpha first; I don't doubt your sincerity, but I think they'll have better judgment than I. I'm too tired right now to think very clearly."

"Why don't you come with me and you can spend the night at the reservation with us?" Katherine suggested, wanting to make Laura feel included. "You could call your family from there and…"

Laura shook her head, "I'm an emancipated adult and I live at the shelter," she replied, suddenly feeling out of place around Katherine because Katherine had a brother and a foster family who loved her.

"Please, I insist you come out to the reservation with us tonight," David, who had left Mark in the truck and had overheard the girls talking, said as he approached them. "You obviously need some rest."

Fear suddenly filled Laura's heart as she saw David approach; they were lying and were going to take her back to her parents in Los Angeles. Why wouldn't they take her back to the shelter otherwise?

"Look, I'm not going back to Los Angeles even if Ashley is still there," Laura said as she backed away and then broke into a run back towards Angel Grove. "I've been through too much there to go back."

As Laura ran back towards town, Katherine hurried over to David, "I'll follow her on foot while you take Mark back home so he can get enough rest for school tomorrow," she said, worried for Laura's safety. "I don't know why Laura ran away from us, David. All I wanted to do was help her to a safe place."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the safety of the Lee Scott home, Jason and Malcolm were in their bedroom and each sitting on their beds preparing to go to sleep after reflecting on their trip back in time. Malcolm had calmed down about it and was half asleep, but Jason was awake and thinking about the spirit stones.

"…Kim don't do it," Malcolm suddenly mumbled in a sleepy voice as he suddenly swayed and fell off the bed and on to the plush carpet. Jason quickly rolled off the bed and on to the floor next to him.

Malcolm's eyes popped open, "What am I doing on the floor?" he asked groggily. "Jason?"

"You mumbled something about Kimberly and fell off your bed," Jason replied. "Are you okay?"

Malcolm sighed as he sat up, "I think Rito's going to use Kimberly against us," he replied in a groggy voice. "I just had this little nightmare that Rito convinced Kimberly to give her power over to him."

Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep.

Frowning, Jason raised his communicator, "Go ahead Alpha," he said in a quiet voice as he gazed at Malcolm.

"Jason, sensors detect Laura is alone on the streets of Angel Grove, but we don't know where," Alpha replied.

* * *

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	26. Domination of Perils

Frost covered the grass of Angel Grove Central Park as Laura slowly walked down the giant grassy hill trying to remember where the shelter was. She had run for a while, but had quickly tired and was now trying to make her way back to the shelter to get at least two hours of sleep before school.

As she approached a tree, Laura suddenly spotted Jason and Malcolm jogging into the park with a man who looked like an older version of Jason. All three of them were wearing jogging outfits and looked surprisingly rested.

For a moment, Laura was tempted to see them and then she spotted Katherine run into the park and towards the three, paying no notice to the fact that she was hiding near the tree.

"Jase, it's Katherine," Malcolm hissed as he spotted Katherine running towards them. "She looks upset."

Jason nodded, but remained silent as Katherine approached, "Jason, Malcolm, I can't seem to find Laura," she said in a worried voice. "I've been following her all night, but she got away from me."

"Rocky dropped her off at the shelter last night before he took Malcolm and I home," Jason replied.

Katherine shook her head, "When I was on my way back to the reservation with David and Mark, we saw Laura on the outskirts of the city," she replied in a worried voice. "I tried to get her to come to the reservation with us, but she yelled something about someone named Ashley and ran back into the city."

"Maybe she went to the school," Malcolm cut in worriedly. "The school's closed for the rest of the week, though, while they fix the heater. I don't know why she didn't just stay at the shelter last night."

Laura swallowed hard and moved around the tree. She edged around the tree and saw a very steep grass hill below, one that would require careful ascension, but it would keep her from being seen.

Swallowing hard, Laura gently eased her way down the hill, but suddenly slipped on a patch of frost and screamed as she fell forward and rolled the rest of the way down. As she lay there, Laura could hear footsteps approaching, but she was too afraid to move and risk being taken back to Los Angeles.

"Hey Jason, it's Laura," Laura suddenly heard Malcolm say in a concerned voice. "She's hurt."

Another voice suddenly spoke, "Jason, Malcolm, don't move her too much, okay?" it said in a gentle voice as footsteps moved across the frost-laden grass. "I'll go get supplies from my ambulance."

Ignoring the pain that radiated from her ankle and forehead, Laura slowly rolled on to her back and was surprised to see Malcolm and Jason kneeling on either side of her, "Laura, are you okay?" Katherine asked as she approached the three. "I've been trying to follow you all night because you ran away."

"I wanted to go back to the shelter and you wouldn't take me," Laura replied in a shaky voice as she sat up and touched her aching forehead. "I was afraid that you were going to take me back to Los Angeles."

Katherine sighed and shook her head, "David's house was closer to where we were than the shelter," she replied in a gentle voice. "I didn't want you having to spend the night alone after you had that nightmare about Kimberly; it obviously scared you pretty badly. You took a pretty bad fall…"

"My ankle and my head sorta hurt a bit," Laura replied in a tired voice. "I slipped on some frost."

Jason nodded, "My dad, Malcolm, and I were jogging and we were talking to Katherine when we heard you scream," he commented in a gentle voice. "My dad went to get supplies to help you."

Laura suddenly saw Thomas running across the grass with his arms full of supplies and her heart froze, "I don't want strange adults near me, Jason," she whispered in a faint voice. "Just tell your dad to leave."

"My dad's a paramedic," Jason replied in a concerned voice. "He's trained to help injured people."

Laura shook her head and winced as she tried to move away, "Please, just listen…"she whispered.

"Dad, hurry up!" Malcolm yelled as he took off across the grass after seeing Laura's eyes glaze over.

As Laura felt herself sinking to the ground, Katherine knelt beside her, "What's wrong?" Katherine asked, concerned when Laura didn't respond. "Jason, why isn't Laura talking to me? She's awake."

"…Not ever again," Laura mumbled groggily as her eyes slowly closed. "…not ever again…"

* * *

"What do you mean school is cancelled for the rest of the week?" Billy asked in a shocked voice as he gave Mr. Caplan a look of disbelief. "I didn't think the earthquake did that much damage…"

Mr. Caplan nodded as he placed a sign on the front door of the school, "The heater is severely damaged and Tommy Oliver's in the hospital because of it," he replied in a firm voice as he gave stern looks to Billy, Adam, and Rocky. "School will not reopen again until the heater is repaired and all is safe again."

"Mister Caplan, can I have a word with you?" Adam asked, suddenly feeling like he should come to Skull's aid and make sure that there was opportunity for Skull to finish school despite the cancer.

Billy looked at Adam, but before he could reply, Mr. Caplan reached into his pocket and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper, "Billy, I was going to organize a formal assembly, but I guess this will have to suffice," Mr. Caplan said in a gentle voice as he offered the paper to Billy. "You've exceeded all academic expectations of Angel Grove High and let me congratulate you for that. You've graduated with honors."

"Billy, maybe now that you don't have to go to high school anymore, you can help Skull," Adam commented in a worried voice. "Mister Caplan, we ran into Skull at the hospital yesterday and…"

Mr. Caplan nodded, "Eugene's mother contacted me last night and explained his situation," he replied in a more somber voice. "Once school is back in session, you can talk to me about how to help him."

"Guys, since school's out, let's go visit Tommy at the hospital," Rocky spoke up in an excited voice as David and Mark approached from behind. "I'm sure his uncle could use a break…"

As Rocky, Adam, and Billy walked off, David approached the school with Mark holding his arm with one hand, "School's out for the rest of the week, boys," Mr. Caplan said dismissively. "See you next week."

"We should go find Kat," Mark commented as Mr. Caplan walked away. "She's been out all night."

David sighed, "Maybe she found Laura and they are at the hospital," he replied, wanting very badly to drop by the hospital and find some way to see Tommy. "If you want, we can take my truck."

"That sounds like a good idea," Mark replied in a pleasant voice. "Let's go and enjoy the day."

As David and Mark turned and headed back towards the parking lot, Billy, Adam, and Rocky returned to the school grounds; they had forgotten that they had taken Rocky's truck to school that morning.

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

Quickly looking around to make sure nobody was around, Billy lifted up his Communicator, "Go ahead, Zordon," he said in a low voice. "Rocky, Adam, and I were just on our way to visit Tommy today."

"That will have to wait," Zordon's voice replied. "You and Adam need to come to the Command Center."

Adam and Billy exchanged a look, "You guys better go," Rocky said. "I'll go visit Tommy by myself."

Nodding, Adam and Billy teleported away. Rocky sighed and hurried back towards the parking lot.

* * *

Feeling utterly helpless and disgusted with himself for being so weak, Skull sighed and stared at the IV line that was delivering chemotherapy drugs into his body. The hospital was crowded and since his mom had to go to work that day, he found himself having to rest alone in the ER until the treatment was over.

"…She just passed out at the park," a very familiar voice sounded as Skull heard the screeching of gurney wheels. "Jason, Malcolm, why don't you and your friend hang out in the waiting room for now?"

Wondering why Jason and Malcolm were in the ER instead of being at school, Skull swallowed hard and got up from his bed. He gripped the IV pole for support and slowly made his way out of the curtained are where he had been put to go through the treatment.

He could see Jason, Malcolm, and a blonde girl lingering near the waiting room. As he opened his mouth to call out, Skull suddenly felt light-headed.

"Skull, hold on," Malcolm said, suddenly noticing Skull getting ready to faint. "Jason, get a chair."

Skull groaned as Malcolm and Jason carefully maneuvered him into an empty chair, "Do you want some water, Skull?" Jason asked in a worried voice, concerned about Skull and why he had an IV in his arm.

"I have to wait for the treatment to be done," Skull replied in a faint voice. "Who's the pretty girl?"

Katherine smiled at being called pretty, "I'm Katherine Hillard," she replied in a gentle voice as she came forward and offered her hand. "You said you're having some sort of treatment? Treatment for what?"

"I've got a recurrence of a cancer I had when I was younger," Skull replied softly, leaning forward to try and combat the sudden dizziness he felt. "My first chemo's today and then I'm supposed to rest."

Jason frowned, "Maybe you should be resting while you have it," he replied, concerned by how weak and sick Skull looked as he sat there. "Malcolm, Katherine, and I can help you back to your bed."

Skull swallowed hard for a moment and then nodded, "I'd like that," he replied in a faint voice.

* * *

"Ah, look at those Power Rangers helping a sick person," Rito sneered in an amused voice as he looked through the telescope and saw Katherine and Jason help Skull to his feet. "How utterly disgusting."

Still dressed in the clothes she had been wearing when she was captured, Kimberly came into the room looking amused, "Perhaps we can use that sick person to lure the Rangers into a battle, Master?" she suggested in an amused voice. "Their powers are weak and a battle will use their energy even faster."

"Perhaps you, with your beauty, can capture that sick boy," Rito suggested in an amused voice.

Kimberly nodded, "I will do your bidding, Master Rito," she replied evilly. "After all, you did save me and I will be eternally grateful for your kindness."

* * *

Skull fought the urge to smile as he lay back against his pillow, "Thanks," he replied, letting out a tired voice as Katherine and Jason covered him up with his blanket. "I hate to kick you out, but I…"

"Get some rest," Katherine said in a gentle voice. "I hope the treatment works for you…"

Skull sighed sleepily, "Eugene Skullovitch," he replied tiredly. "I'm known as Skull around school."

Katherine smiled and quietly left, as did Jason. Skull sighed and quickly fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

Malcolm, meanwhile, had waited in the waiting room and had suddenly heard his Communicator go off while people were around. Not wanting his identity to be known, Malcolm had quickly hurried outside.

"What's up, Zordon?" Malcolm asked in a hushed voice, relieved that nobody was around to see him.

Zordon sighed, "Teleport to the Command Center immediately, Malcolm," he ordered in a quiet voice.

Malcolm sighed and quickly teleported away; hopefully it wasn't anything too urgent.

* * *

After making sure that Skull was alone and unattended, Kimberly slipped into the curtained area where Skull was sleeping. She gently nudged him several times and smiled when Skull finally opened his eyes.

"Kimberly?" Skull asked in a faint voice, surprised to see her there. "I haven't seen you for a while."

Kimberly smiled sweetly at him, "I've been visiting my mother in Paris," she lied in a sweet voice as she gently stroked his hair. "I heard you were in the hospital sick and I wanted to see how you were doing."

"Well, that's really nice of you," Skull replied, fighting back a yawn. "I wish I wasn't so tired."

Rito suddenly appeared next to her, "Don't worry, you'll get plenty of rest in the Dungeon of Despair," he sneered as he smiled at Kimberly. "Well done, my sweet; you have made him feel safe."

"Time to take a trip, Skull," Kimberly said in a wicked voice as she took his hand. "Say goodbye."

As he was teleported away, Skull let out a pained scream and promptly lost consciousness.

* * *

Malcolm touched down in the Command Center to find that Adam and Billy were already there and standing by Zordon's tube, "Adam, Billy, and Malcolm, Kimberly has been captured and brainwashed by Rito Revolto," Zordon explained. "She has been trained to believe that the Power Rangers are her enemies and she gave most of her Pink Power to Rito to strengthen his failing energy reserves."

Suddenly, the alarm went off, "Ai-yi-yi!" Alpha whimpered as he hurried over to the Viewing Globe and looked into it, "Rito and Kimberly have kidnapped an innocent civilian and have imprisoned him!"

Exchanging concerned looks, Adam, Billy, and Malcolm hurried over to the Viewing Globe and were horrified to see Skull lying helplessly on the floor in a dark dungeon in his gown and scrub pants with nothing but his hospital blanket and the IV still in his arm, "Oh man, it's Skull," Adam said, really worried by how sick Skull looked as he lay there. "Where exactly did Rito and Kimberly take him, Zordon?"

"Skull has been imprisoned in the Dungeon of Despair," Zordon replied. "He is in very bad danger."

Malcolm sighed, "Jason, Laura, and Tommy can't help us," he commented. "We'll have to go ourselves."

"Alpha will teleport you there," Zordon replied. "You'll only have a limited time to try and rescue him."

Malcolm nodded and held out his Ninja Morpher, "Orange Tiger Ninja Power!" he yelled.

"Black Frog Ninja Power!" Adam yelled as he whipped out his Ninja Morpher and held it out.

Billy sighed and whipped out his Morpher, "Blue Wolf Ninja Power!" he yelled in a determined voice.

* * *

"…Dad, you're going to be late for work," Laura heard Jason say in a soft voice. "…I can stay…"

Laura opened her eyes and was surprised to see that she was lying on a hospital bed upright in a hospital gown with a blanket covering her legs. She saw that her left foot was wrapped in an Ace bandage and propped up on a pillow while her arms and hands were covered in IV's and clips.

"Jason?" Laura asked softly, deeply unnerved that she was surrounded by a closed privacy curtain.

The curtain was suddenly pulled open and Laura was surprised to see Jason standing there with his father, who was now wearing a paramedic uniform.

"Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty," Jason joked, trying to ease the uncomfortable expression on Laura's face. "Seriously, Laura, how are you feeling?"

"Is my ankle broken?" Laura asked in a tired voice, worried that she wouldn't be able to walk for a while.

Thomas shook his head and smiled, "Nope, only sprained," he replied in a gentle voice.

"When can I get some crutches so I can go back to the shelter?" Laura asked, very anxious to be out of the hospital and back where she could keep her thoughts to herself. "I'm feeling better now."

Jason frowned and Thomas suddenly looked concerned, "You're suffering from dehydration and malnourishment," Thomas replied in a fatherly tone. "Jason mentioned that you live at the Angel Grove Shelter and you work at the Juice Bar after school. When do you find time to eat and rest?"

"It's not that simple," Laura replied in an upset voice. "There's too much going on right now to even…"

Laura sighed and gently massaged her forehead, "Your friend Katherine went to the shelter to get your things and I called Lieutenant Stone to come talk to you," Thomas cut in, seeing that Laura was clearly feeling overwhelmed. "I'm going to ask him if there's a family in Angel Grove that you can stay with…"

"No, you don't understand," Laura replied in an upset voice. "He'll want to send me back…"

Overwhelmed and overtired, Laura turned her head to the side and began to cry. Thomas sighed and gently led Jason out of the curtain area, closing it a bit to give her privacy. Jason looked at him confused.

"Dad, I don't understand why Laura's so afraid," Jason stated in a soft voice. "She always wants to run."

Thomas sighed, "Jason, you have to understand that not all parents are as loving to their children as your mother and I are," he replied in a somber voice. "Some parents have problems and they take the anger and frustration connected with those problems out on their children through physical abuse."

"Oh man," Jason replied with a frown, suddenly feeling bad for Laura. "Will Laura be okay, Dad?"

Swallowing hard, Thomas shrugged, "Maybe with enough help and support, she'll be able to move past it," he replied. "Speaking of help, is your friend Tommy still in the hospital and is his uncle with him?"

"Yeah," Jason replied, wondering why his dad wanted to talk to Dr. Oliver. "Do you want me to…?"

Thomas shook his head, "I have to go to work," he replied gently. "I should say goodbye first."

Jason sighed and followed his dad back into the curtained area, "Mister Lee Scott, I'm sorry I freaked out at you at the park," Laura said before anyone could speak. "I didn't know you were a paramedic until…"

"It's all right, Laura," Thomas replied in a kind voice, smiling at her. "Just get some rest, okay?"

As Thomas left, Laura sighed and massaged her forehead again, "Katherine mentioned that you talked about someone named Ashley last night," Jason commented in a curious voice. "Who's Ashley?"

"My younger sister," Laura replied in a tired voice. "She's still in Los Angeles with my parents."

Jason nodded and sighed, "If you don't feel like talking about her, we don't have to," he said, seeing how tired it made her to keep talking. "Maybe you should rest for a while. I'll be here if you need anything."

"Okay," Laura replied, too worn out to argue. "You have to wake me when Katherine gets back with my clothes so I can get dressed. I'm not going to talk to Lieutenant Stone dressed like this."

Again, Jason nodded, "Don't worry, I will," he promised. "Maybe we can also visit Tommy later."

"That'll be nice," Laura replied sleepily as her eyes closed. "Especially if I have to say goodbye."

As Laura slept, Jason sighed and found a stool under the bed. He sat and silently watched her sleep.

* * *

Malcolm, Billy, and Adam touched down in Dungeon of Despair and looked around. They saw only light coming from barred windows in each corner of the room and they could hear a faint coughing sound.

Unfortunately, before they could begin their search for Skull, Rito appeared before them with an amused looking Kimberly at his side, "You won't find him," Kimberly sneered. "The Dungeon of Despair is too big and you've got limited powers. Why don't you just go back to Earth where you belong?"

"Kimberly, you don't understand," Billy said in a concerned voice. "Skull's got cancer and he needs…"

Kimberly cackled, "He needs NOTHING but despair!" she yelled. "Now go, while you still can!"

Rito cackled and tapped his bone sword on Malcolm's Power Coin, causing Malcolm to sink to his knees and almost faint, "My power's getting drained," Malcolm hissed as he tried to pull away from Rito.

"Every time I tap your Coins with my sword, I take some of your power," Rito cackled as Billy pulled Malcolm back out of harm's way. "I can do this because my sweet Kimberly gave me her Coin."

Billy winced, "We have to get back to the Command Center," he said, disturbed by how badly the forcible loss of power seemed to affect Malcolm. "We'll have to come back for Skull later."

"Yeah," Malcolm replied as he fumbled for his teleporter. "You'd better not hurt Skull, Rito,"

Malcolm's hand suddenly dropped and Adam knelt next to him, "C'mon," Adam said gently.

Rito cackled as Malcolm, Adam, and Billy teleported out of the Dungeon of Despair; he had finally gotten some power from the saintly Malcolm.

* * *

Adam, Malcolm, and Billy touched down in the Command Center and Malcolm immediately collapsed from the power drain Rito had initiated, "Ai-yi-yi!" Alpha exclaimed as he hurried over to Malcolm.

"Rito's sword touched Malcolm's coin and Malcolm collapsed," Adam explained as he demorphed and knelt down to Malcolm, who was still in his power suit. "He said that every time his sword touches one of our coins, a little bit of our power goes to him and that Kimberly giving him her coin helped him…"

Malcolm groaned, but he didn't speak as Billy and Alpha helped him up and walked him over to the cot that was just outside the control center, "Alpha, take Malcolm's Power Coin and Morpher," Zordon replied as Billy and Alpha lay Malcolm on the cot. "See what damage Rito has inflicted on it."

"Will Malcolm be okay?" Adam asked in a concerned voice as he walked over to the cot.

Alpha nodded as he collected Malcolm's Ninja Power Coin and Ninja Morpher, causing Malcolm's power suit to disappear, "He just needs time to regain his energy," Zordon replied. "Adam, Billy, you should leave your Ninja Power Coins and Morphers here so Alpha can analyze them along with Malcolm's."

"Guys, I'm fine," Malcolm said in a faint voice as he forced his eyes open. "I just need a little sleep."

Adam and Billy quickly gave their Morphers and Power Coins to Alpha, "I want Alpha to run a complete bio-scan on you before you leave, Malcolm," Zordon said. "The damage Rito did could be serious."

"Do you think the same damage was done to Tommy's Morpher?" Adam asked, suddenly remembering that Tommy had also undergone magic torture at Rito's hands. "We should go get his coin too."

Zordon nodded, "Billy, stay here and analyze the Coins and Morphers so Alpha can run a bio-scan on Malcolm," he replied. "Adam, go visit Tommy, explain the situation, and get his Morpher and Coin."

Adam nodded and teleported out of the Command Center, "Just close your eyes and relax, Malcolm," Alpha said as he approached the bed where Malcolm lay. "You need to conserve your energy."

* * *

Adam touched down in the quiet hospital room, startling Tommy, who was trying to eat a large bowl of soup without help but having trouble because of his low energy level, "Adam?" he asked tiredly.

"Tommy, I need your Power Coin and Morpher," Adam said in a distressed voice. "Right now."

Frowning, Tommy looked around and saw his Morpher and Power Coin on the table. He pulled himself forward, but as his fingers brushed against the Coin, he suddenly felt as if he were being drained.

"I can't touch them," Tommy replied in a faint voice as he sank back against his pillow. "Why?"

Adam sighed, picked up the Morpher and Power Coin, and slipped them into his pockets, "Zordon said that you wouldn't be able to use them again until you regained your energy naturally," he explained in a gentle voice. "Zordon wants them analyzed because when Malcolm, Billy, and I tried to rescue Skull from Rito, Rito touched Malcolm's coin with his bone sword. It made Malcolm collapse…"

"Skull was captured again?" Tommy asked, processing the information. "Wait, Malcolm collapsed?"

Adam nodded and looked around, "Tommy, where's your uncle?" he asked in a worried voice.

"About an hour ago, he got a call on his emergency cell phone and said he'd be back in a little while," Tommy replied in a tired voice. "I was hoping he'd be back before lunch, but I guess he's busy."

Before Adam could reply, Jason came into the room, "Hey Tommy," Jason said, smiling at him.

"Jason, what are you doing here?" Tommy asked in a faint voice. "Is everything all right?"

Jason sighed, "Your uncle is downstairs waiting to talk to her and Lieutenant Stone," he replied, having been asked by Laura not to tell anyone anything specific. "Katherine's helping Laura get dressed."

"Katherine?" Tommy asked, suddenly worried for Laura's safety. "Jason, isn't Katherine still…?"

Jason shook his head, "Not anymore," he replied. "Adam, what are you doing here?"

"Skull was captured by Rito and Kimberly," Adam explained. "When Billy, Malcolm, and I went to try and rescue Skull, Rito touched Malcolm's coin with his bone sword and drained Malcolm of some power. We took Malcolm back to the Command Center and Zordon wants to also analyze Tommy's Coin."

Tommy sighed, "Because I was also tortured by Rito," he added in a weak voice. "Is this the end of us?"

"I don't know," Jason replied somberly. "Adam, you better get back to the Command Center."

Adam nodded and teleported out of the hospital room, "Touching that coin made me feel very tired," Tommy said in a faint voice, suddenly having no desire to eat. "I have to go back to sleep, Jason."

"Maybe when you're out of the hospital, Alpha should run a bio-scan on you too," Jason commented, concerned by Tommy's sudden exhaustion. "Maybe Rito's found a way to drain us all of our powers."

Tommy nodded and suddenly looked very solemn, "If only I had my strength back," he said in a sorrowful voice as he fought to keep his eyes open. "We have to find some way to fight back."

"We'll talk about it later after you've rested," Jason gently said. "I'll stay here and you sleep."

As Tommy drifted off to sleep, Jason noticed David lingering by the door, "David, what are you doing here?" Jason asked, concerned at what David might have overheard. "Tommy's having a sleep."

"I was hoping to visit Tommy, but I can come back when he's awake," David replied in a gentle voice.

Jason nodded, "Yeah, that might be better," he said, wondering why David wanted to visit Tommy.

David nodded and walked off down the hallway. Jason turned back to face Tommy and sighed.

* * *

Since the curtain had been drawn, Laura could see Lieutenant Stone and Doctor Oliver talking in the waiting room, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She sighed; it would soon be all over and she would be put on a bus back to Los Angeles to probably end up hurt again or killed by the abuse.

"Hey Laura, are you all right?" Katherine asked as she saw the sorrowful expression on Laura's face.

Laura looked at Katherine, who was lingering at her bedside, "I really don't want to be taken back to Los Angeles, even if Ashley is there," she said in a tired voice. "It was too much being there, Katherine."

"I don't think it will come to that," Katherine replied in a reassuring voice even though she was uncertain whether or not it was true. "At least you're safe right now, clean, and in more comfortable clothes."

Laura looked down at the dark sweat pants, loose t-shirt, and slippers Katherine had helped her change into after a quick shower, "Thanks for your help, Katherine," she said in a gentle voice. "I mean it."

Just then, Rocky came into the ER with Adam and they spotted Laura and Katherine, "Laura, what happened?" Adam asked in a concerned voice as he approached his friend. "Hey there Kat."

"I had a little mishap this morning," Laura replied, not wanting to discuss the truth with anyone.

Adam nodded, "Katherine, I saw Mark sitting in David's truck on my way in here," he commented.

"Yes, Mark's doing some schoolwork and it's easier for him to work where it's quiet," Katherine replied in a pleasant voice even though she was nervous being around them. "I should really get going…"

Laura grabbed Katherine's arm, "Katherine, don't be afraid of being around us," she said in a gentle voice. "You're not under Rita's spell anymore, so we want you to be our friend. Right guys?"

Before Adam or Rocky could reply, Lieutenant Stone came over to them, "Laura, Doctor Oliver and I need to talk to you and Adam Park in private," he said in a serious voice. "Rocky DeSantos, why don't you and your little girlfriend go find something to do for a little while? You can come back later."

"Why do you need to talk to me too?" Adam asked, suddenly wondering if he was in trouble.

Instead of answering Adam, however, Lieutenant Stone gave Rocky and Katherine a look that told them it was better to get lost right away. Giving Adam a smile, Rocky and Katherine moved away from the bed and nearly bumped into Dr. Oliver as he approached. Adam suddenly looked very, very afraid.

"Relax Adam, we're all just going to have a conversation," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice. "Breathe."

The curtain was then pulled closed, making it impossible for Rocky and Katherine to hear the rest of the conversation, "Katherine, did you find Laura?" David asked as he approached them. "Is she okay?"

"Laura's fine," Katherine replied gently. "I do think we need to go out and have lunch, though."

David nodded, "I went to see how Tommy is feeling, but his friend Jason said he was sleeping," he commented in a calm voice. "Perhaps taking Mark out for lunch would be an excellent idea."

"I'm really hungry," Rocky commented as he followed Mark, David, and Katherine out of the ER.

* * *

"Is the scan over?" Malcolm asked in a weak voice as he forced his eyes open. "Billy, Alpha?"

Ignoring the pain he felt in every inch of his tired body, Malcolm forced himself to sit up on the bed and look at Zordon, "You should be resting," Alpha said in a concerned voice as he hurried over to the cot.

"Where's Billy?" Malcolm asked, suddenly feeling dizzy. "Oh, Alpha, I don't feel so good…"

Alpha sighed and helped Malcolm to lie back down, "It appears that what happened to Tommy has also happened to you," Malcolm heard Zordon say in a solemn voice. "Rito has taken not only some of your powers, but also your life energy. Billy is down in the Power Chamber analyzing your powers."

"Oh man," Malcolm replied in a faint voice. "First Tommy's put in the hospital and can't use his powers, then Kimberly's kidnapped by Rito and brainwashed. Now I've become too weak to use my powers."

Suddenly, Malcolm let out a painful yell, passed out, and promptly vanished from the Command Center.

* * *

Katherine screamed, nearly causing David to swerve, "Someone just fainted in the park!" she yelled, suddenly seeing someone in the nearby park collapse to the grass. "David, stop the truck!"

Unaware that an on-duty ambulance was now behind them, David pulled his truck over to the side of the road, surprised when Rocky and Katherine burst out of the truck and began running across the grass.

"David, what's going on?" Mark asked, suddenly startled by the yelling. "Did we hit someone?"

David shook his head as Thomas, who had gotten concerned by the truck in front of him, approached the driver's side window, "Is everything all right?" Thomas asked in a concerned voice.

"Some person collapsed in the park," David replied in a concerned voice. "My friends went to see…"

Thomas frowned, "Stay here," he said in a gentle voice. "I'll go get supplies and help the person."

Meanwhile, in the park, Katherine and Rocky had reached the person and quickly realized that it was Malcolm, "Malcolm, wake up," Katherine said in a worried voice, realizing that Malcolm was unconscious and his breathing was very faint. "Rocky, he's not waking up. What do we do?"

Before Rocky could reply, Thomas came running over to them with another paramedic at his heels and supplies in his hands, "Malcolm!" Thomas said, horrified to see his adopted son was unconscious.

"Uhhh," Malcolm groaned as he opened his eyes and saw the crowd around him. "What happened?"

Thomas smiled as his partner approached, "According to your friends, you fainted in the park," he replied, suddenly recognizing Katherine and Rocky. "Did you overdo it on the jogging today?"

"Yeah," Malcolm replied, knowing that he wasn't able to tell the truth. "I'm sorry Dad. I really am."

Thomas sighed and carefully helped his adopted son to sit up, "My partner's going to give you some fluid and then we'll take you to the emergency room just as a precaution," he said in a gentle voice as he let Malcolm lay against him for support. "Once you're cleared, I'll take you to visit Tommy, okay?"

Too exhausted to speak, Malcolm nodded and sat quietly as the other paramedic took hold of his arm.

* * *

"Tommy, are you awake?" Dr. Oliver's voice suddenly filtered into the quiet hospital room.

Tommy sighed as his uncle came into the room with Adam, who was pushing Laura in a wheelchair they had borrowed from the emergency room. Tommy frowned at seeing Laura's bandaged ankle.

"What happened?" Tommy asked in a concerned voice. "Laura, did you get in a fight?"

Laura shook her head, "I slipped on some grass this morning, fell down a large hill, and sprained my ankle when I was trying to run away," she replied in a soft voice. "I already had a talk with your uncle and Lieutenant Stone about it, so let's not talk about it now. Anyway, how are you feeling?"

The bathroom door suddenly opened and Jason came out, "I feel like I've been asleep my whole life," Tommy replied in a pleasant voice as he sat up. "Maybe tomorrow, I'll get to do a little walking."

"If you can keep yourself out of mischief and eat a decent supper, maybe," Dr. Oliver replied as he grinned at his very persistent nephew. "Anyway, Tommy, I thought you and Jason would like to visit with Adam and Laura for a while. I have some work I need to do, so I'll be back around suppertime, okay?"

Tommy nodded and Dr. Oliver silently left the room. A moment later, Rocky and Billy entered the room.

"Zack wanted to come, but he's busy," Rocky said. "However, Billy's got some awesome news!"

Before Billy could speak, however, Thomas knocked on the open door and helped a tired looking Malcolm walk into the room with Katherine trailing behind them, "Just stay up here and out of trouble, okay?" Thomas said as he led Malcolm over to a chair and sat him down. "Jason, make sure Malcolm stays in that chair while I'm gone to turn in my radio. I'll come back and get you guys in a bit, okay?"

Jason nodded and Thomas smiled before leaving the room, "Skull was captured from the hospital by Kimberly and Rito," Malcolm said in a tired voice. "Zordon sent Billy, Adam, and I to try and rescue him, but Rito took some of my power by touching my coin with his bone sword. That's why I'm so weak."

"Guys, I'd like to apologize to all of you now that we're all together," Katherine spoke up in a remorseful voice as she walked into the room and looked around at all of them. "I didn't mean to cause problems."

Tommy smiled at Katherine, "You're not the first one to be under one of Rita's spells," he replied in a gentle voice. "Right now, we've got bigger problems; we have to figure out how to save Skull. What was Skull even doing at the hospital this morning, though? It seems really strange that he was here."

"Tommy, Skull's got cancer," Jason cut in, knowing that they could all help him. "He was having a chemotherapy treatment this morning and Kat and I talked with him a bit. Kimberly and Rito must have come right after we left him to rest. They must have decided to capture Skull to try and trap us."

Tommy sighed, "Once I get my strength back and am allowed to use my powers again, we'll have to get Zordon and Alpha to help us rescue him," he replied in a worried voice. "I hate this situation."

"I hate to bring this up now, guys, but Billy does have some better news," Rocky suddenly cut in.

Billy sighed and took out the rolled up piece of paper, "Mister Caplan said that I've graduated high school early, guys," he said as he unrolled the diploma and showed it to everyone in the room.

As excited chattering filled the room, Dr. Oliver moved down the hallway to greet David, who was coming as they had agreed. They would talk now and soon, David and Tommy would again meet. Hopefully, then, things would get better.

* * *

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	27. Strong Teamwork With Fading Strength

"Master Rito, I have discovered something!" Kimberly yelled as she gazed through the telescope.

Rito hurried over to Kimberly and she stepped aside, "Look at how Laura's mind is distracted!" she said in an excited voice. "She seems to be grieving over leaving a sister behind in her former home."

Rito peered through the telescope and saw Laura sitting on a couch with her backpack on the floor while she gazed at a picture with a sorrowful expression on her face, "Ah, you are right," he replied cunningly.

As Rito continued to watch Laura, he saw Tommy come over to the couch and sit down next to her.

"Oh ho ho!" Rito cackled in an amused voice. "Kimberly, I believe Laura has stolen your Tommy."

Her eyes widening, Kimberly shoved Rito aside and peered into the telescope; she was horrified and angry to see that Tommy was sitting next to Laura and they looked like they were very friendly.

"That Laura will pay for stealing Tommy," Kimberly hissed angrily. "I'll just steal away her sister from her."

* * *

"Can I see what you're looking at, Laura?" Tommy asked as he made himself comfortable on the couch.

Laura sighed and showed the picture to Tommy; it was of her and a younger blonde girl dressed in matching outfits and hugging each other, "This was taken at the mall the last time we snuck out of the apartment to have fun," she explained in a somber voice. "We took it in one of those photo booths."

It had been a week since Laura had sprained her ankle and now, the day after Tommy had been released from the hospital, she was waiting for Dr. Oliver to come let her know where Lt. Stone had placed her.

"You must miss her a lot," Tommy commented as he suddenly lay back. "Sorry, I'm still a bit tired."

Nodding, Laura took back the picture and held it against her chest, "It's all right, you've got the weekend to rest before you go back to school on Monday," she replied in a gentle voice. "And yes, I do miss her."

Tommy yawned and sighed, "I still have a lot of that makeup homework to do," he replied even though he showed no sign of moving from where he was at. "Uncle Frank made me take it easy last week."

"Did I hear someone mention my name?" Dr. Oliver asked in a gentle voice as he came into the room with Adam at his heels and a clipboard in his hand. "How do you like the common room, Laura?"

Laura quickly put the picture back in the box at her feet, "It's nice, Doctor Oliver, sir," she replied in an almost mechanical voice as she looked at Dr. Oliver and Adam. "I'm assuming I have to get my things?"

"Yes," Dr. Oliver replied, making a mental note to talk to Laura about putting emotion in her voice.

Laura sighed and grabbed her box as she got to her feet, "It's been nice talking to you, Tommy," she said in a voice full of hopelessness. "Maybe we'll see each other at school next week. Anyway, bye."

"Tommy, why don't you have a little nap on the couch?" Dr. Oliver suggested as Laura walked over to him and Adam. "I'll come wake you later on after I get Adam and Laura properly situated, okay?"

Exchanging a confused look, Laura and Adam followed Dr. Oliver from the common room and were surprised when he went down the hallway to a door that was closed, "Laura, this will be your bedroom," Dr. Oliver said, smiling as he opened the door. "Why don't you go in and look around while I show Adam his room? If you get tired of being in there, feel free to have a look around the house."

Speechless for the first time in her life, Laura entered the room and saw a large bed in the corner of the room and a dresser, armoire, and mirror in another corner, next to a decent sized closet. She set the box on the dresser and walked over to the bed; was all of this just a dream or had she really been taken in and given a chance at a hopeful future?

* * *

"Angel Grove Terminal," a brisk voice said over the bus intercom. "This is the last stop on the route."

Ashley Hammond sighed and winced as she got to her feet. She placed a hand over her stomach and slowly grabbed her backpack from the seat beside her; it was time to go find where Laura was.

Swallowing hard, Ashley slowly made her way to the front of the bus and slowly got off, ignoring the looks she was getting from the other few passengers and the driver over the bruises on her pale face.

"Nice terminal," Ashley commented as she gazed at the small brick structure. "Now, where do I go?"

Quickly realizing that nobody was going to answer her, Ashley started walking away from the terminal with her backpack. She was sore, hungry, and tired; hopefully it wouldn't take long to find Laura.

"Aw, poor little Ashley, are you lost?" Kimberly asked in a mocking tone as she suddenly appeared.

Ashley froze as Kimberly approached her, "You're Laura's sister, right?" Kimberly asked mockingly.

"Where's Laura?" Ashley asked in a scared voice as she gripped her backpack. "What do you want?"

Kimberly cackled, "You will never see Laura again, my dear," she hissed as she moved closer to her.

* * *

"Tommy, are we early?" Jason asked as he and Malcolm came into the common room and found Tommy asleep on the couch. He smiled at Malcolm and the two quietly left the room to let Tommy sleep.

Malcolm grinned, "I wonder how Laura and Adam took the news?" he asked as they made their way down the hallway to Dr. Oliver's kitchen and saw that Laura was sitting at the kitchen table. "Hey."

"Malcolm, what are you and Jason doing here?" Laura asked in a surprised voice as she stood up.

Jason smiled, "Did Doctor Oliver show you your new digs?" he asked in a pleasant voice.

"He didn't tell me how much rent I'd have to pay," Laura replied, still unable to believe that Dr. Oliver would offer a free room to her in his house with no conditions attached. "I'm just waiting…"

Jason gave Laura a look, but before he could say anything, Tommy came into the kitchen looking rested but slightly groggy, "Tommy, did your uncle say how much rent I'd have to pay?" Laura asked in a gentle, very uncertain voice. "I only have a very part-time job at the Juice Bar a couple of days a week…"

"Rent?" Tommy asked in a groggy voice, not quite understanding what Laura was asking him. "Huh?"

Malcolm hurried over to the fridge, opened it, and pulled out a bottle of juice, "Drink this," he said as he handed the juice to Tommy. "It'll wake you up a bit so you can answer Laura's question about the rent."

"What rent?" Dr. Oliver asked in a pleasant voice as he entered the kitchen with his clipboard in hand.

Tommy frowned, "Laura's going on about paying rent," he said groggily. "I'm not sure what she means."

"For heaven's sake, Tommy, sit down before you fall down," Dr. Oliver said in a concerned voice.

Nodding, Tommy sat down at the kitchen table just as Adam came into the room, "Right, Adam and Laura, now that you have your rooms, you need the rules," Dr. Oliver said as he took two pieces of paper off the clipboard and handed them to Adam and Laura. "You'll both also have simple chores to do on the weekends and curfew around here is 9 P.M. on school nights, 11 P.M. on weekends, right Tommy?"

Tommy nodded and took a sip of the apple juice, "Homework must be taken care of right as soon as you get home from school, but you may have a snack while doing it," Dr. Oliver continued. "Also, since I am a full-time school counselor, I sometimes have to stay late to counsel students and am too tired to bother with dinner when I get home. So, because of that, you three will also take turns making dinner for everyone each night. Now, I understand that your Ranger duties might sometime interfere with this schedule, so just let me know when they do. Otherwise, I expect you all to do your best in school."

"I'm guessing we also have to meet with the school counselor once a week?" Adam asked nervously.

Dr. Oliver nodded, "We can take care of that later," he replied. "For now, I thought a little get together with all available Rangers and friends of the Rangers would be a nice housewarming present."

"What time is Kat getting here?" Malcolm asked in an eager voice. "I want to show her some moves."

Jason snickered, "You totally have a thing for Kat, bro," he commented in an amused voice.

Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep.

"What is it, Zordon?" Tommy asked, suddenly becoming alert as he raised his Communicator.

Dr. Oliver scowled at Tommy, "Tommy, teleport to the Command Center immediately," Zordon's voice replied in a grave tone. "Jason, Laura, Malcolm, and Adam, also teleport to the Command Center."

"Be careful, Tommy, I mean it," Dr. Oliver said as he reached into his pocket, took out the White Falcon Ninja Coin and the Morpher, and handed them to Tommy. "Do not try and overdo it, understand me?"

Tommy took the items and suddenly felt a surge of energy run through his body, "I understand," he replied as he gazed at Malcolm, Laura, Jason, and Adam. "Are you guys ready to go?"

All of them nodded and as they teleported away, Dr. Oliver sighed and gently massaged the black gem embedded in an arrowhead that he wore around his neck. There would now be time for David to arrive and think about what he wanted to say before Tommy and the others came back from their mission.

* * *

"This is totally a weird place," Ashley murmured to herself as she walked around the Dungeon of Despair and was annoyed to see that the only source of light came from barred windows. "Is anyone in here?"

A faint coughing sound suddenly caught Ashley's attention and she saw Skull lying in the corner of the room facing one of the stone walls, "Hey there, are you okay?" Ashley asked in a concerned voice.

"Who's there?" Skull asked as he rolled and saw a form with a backpack standing nearby. "Hello?"

Ashley slowly walked over to him and saw that he was wearing a hospital gown, scrub pants, and hospital slippers, "Your arm's bleeding," she commented, suddenly noticing blood on his left arm.

"I guess the IV was pulled out," Skull replied in a faint voice as he looked up at her. "Who are you?"

Setting her backpack on the floor, Ashley knelt down next to Skull, "Ashley Hammond," she replied in a gentle voice. "Hey, why are you dressed up like a hospital patient? You look kinda sick."

"I have cancer and I was getting a treatment when I was kidnapped by Kimberly," Skull replied in a tired voice as he forced himself to sit up and look at her. "Why do you look as if you got in a fight?"

Ashley sighed, "My parents and their mean friends beat me up a lot," she replied in a matter-of-fact voice, not thinking that she would ever see the light of day again. "I stole some money from my parents' stash and caught a bus to Angel Grove to be with my sister, Laura. I got kidnapped right away…"

"Nobody's parents should actually WANT to beat them up," Skull replied in a shocked voice, suddenly feeling very sorry for both Laura and Ashley. "You are so pretty and kind, how can anyone…?"

A wave of nausea suddenly hit him and Skull bowed his head, "Just a sec," he said quietly. "Nausea."

"Do you want some of my water?" Ashley asked as she took a bottle of water from a side pocket on her backpack and opened it. "It's only water, but it might help you feel a bit better…who are you, anyway?"

Skull lifted his head, "Eugene Skullovitch," he replied faintly. "I go to Angel Grove High School."

"Oh cool, my sister goes there I think," Ashley replied. "Anyway, Eugene, did you want some water?"

Skull nodded and took the bottle with a shaking hand. He slowly drank for a few seconds, and then stopped, "If I drink any more, I'll just get sick again," he replied, offering the bottle back. "Take it."

"I'm only a little tired, you have cancer," Ashley replied. "Just lie down and rest, okay Eugene?"

Skull gave Ashley a look, "What are you, ten?" he asked in a tired voice. "You're pretty bossy."

"I'll be eleven in a few weeks," Ashley replied in a soft voice. "My sister says that sick people should lie down and rest so they can conserve their energy. You said you were resting before Kimberly kidnapped you."

Skull sighed, but before he could lie down, Kimberly and Rito appeared in the cell, "How does it feel knowing you'll spend the rest of your miserable lives here?" Kimberly sneered at Ashley and Skull.

"Hey, Kimberly, what's that coin around your neck?" Ashley asked in a curious voice, suddenly seeing a gold coin with a Crane symbol on it around Kimberly's neck. "Do you think it could help Eugene?"

Kimberly made a face, "Be quiet, you annoying little brat!" she hissed angrily as she looked to Rito.

"I'll silence her for good," Rito promised as he aimed his bone staff at Ashley. "Say goodnight."

As Rito raised his sword, Skull jumped up and pushed Ashley out of the way as the sword came down on him. Skull groaned as he felt some of his energy slip away and Ashley aimed a hard kick at Kimberly.

"Why you little…" Kimberly hissed as Ashley's shoe grazed her cheek. "You'll pay for that."

Instead of backing off, however, Ashley kicked Rito's sword away from Skull, "Enjoy your time in the Dungeon of Despair, children," Kimberly hissed through gritted teeth. "Master Rito, I have a plan. Let's go find Katherine and her helpless brother. Prince Zedison has the magic we need to conquer."

As Rito and Kimberly disappeared, Ashley knelt down beside Skull, "Eugene, are you okay?" she asked in a worried voice as she took one of his trembling hands in her own. "Eugene, please wake up!"

* * *

Laura, Adam, Jason, Tommy, and Malcolm touched down in the Command Center to see that Billy was already there with Alpha, "I told Rocky and Zack that we'd meet at Doctor Oliver's later," he said in an informative tone as the others gathered near him. I think Katherine's coming with Mark and David."

"Rangers, Kimberly and Rito have captured a little girl and are holding her in the Dungeon of Despair with Skull," Zordon stated in a serious tone. "She's in very bad condition as is your friend, Skull."

Laura's eyes widened and she hurried over to the Viewing Globe; she could see Ashley kneeling next to a very still form that she assumed was Skull, "How did Ashley even get to Angel Grove?" she asked.

"Laura, you will have time to find those answers later," Zordon replied. "Now, you must focus."

Laura nodded and turned back to the others as she took out her Morpher, "It's Morphin Time!" she said.

"White Falcon Ninja Power!" Tommy yelled in an energized voice as he whipped out his Morpher.

Jason grunted and whipped out his Morpher, "Red Lion Ninja Power!" he yelled.

"Blue Wolf Ninja Power!" Billy yelled in an excited voice, eager to get another shot at Rito.

Suddenly, Billy's Morpher exploded, sending Billy backwards into one of the consoles. The Coin flew out of Billy's hands and landed on the floor near the secret doorway to the Chamber of Light.

"Billy!" Laura yelled as she ran over to where Billy lay and found him unconscious. "Oh Billy…"

Alpha hurried over to Billy, "I'll take care of him," he said. "The rest of you need to go!"

"Orange Tiger Ninja Power!" Malcolm said in a reluctant voice even though he knew Alpha was right.

Adam was silent for a moment and then got out his Morpher, "Black Frog Ninja Power!" he yelled.

"Rangers, you must hurry," Alpha said as the five remaining Rangers teleported out of the Center.

* * *

Two heavy grocery sacks weighed Dr. Oliver down as he headed back to the house from the nearby grocery store after picking up food for the little gathering that day. He saw Rocky and Zack walking towards his house on the other sidewalk and waved to them in hopes they would come help him.

"Hey Doc O!" Rocky called out as he ran across the middle of the road. "Let me give you a hand!"

Dr. Oliver smiled as Zack followed after Rocky, "Let us help you with those," Zack said in an insistent voice as he and Rocky took the grocery bags. "Picking up some supplies for the party, Doctor O.?"

"Yes and I didn't want to drive since it's such a nice day," Dr. Oliver replied in a pleasant voice.

As Rocky grinned, a truck came driving by them, "Hey, that's David, Katherine, and Mark!" Zack said, eager to get a ride to Tommy's place. "Guys, pull over and give us a ride! This stuff is heavy!"

The truck pulled over just a few yards away and Katherine promptly got out, "You guys can sit in the back with the groceries," she said in an amused voice. "Mark's in the back seat trying to study."

"Studying's good," Dr. Oliver replied, pleased that Mark wasn't letting his disability defeat him.

Before Rocky, Zack, or Dr. Oliver could approach the truck, however, Rito appeared in front of the truck and caught sight of Mark in the back seat, "Ah, Prince Zedison!" he crowed. "I must reclaim you!"

"My name's Mark Hillard," Mark replied, confused to who was talking to him. "Not Zedison…"

Rito cackled and aimed his bone sword at the truck, but before he could touch it, Dr. Oliver got right in Rito's face in a fighting stance, "Get out of here you creepy bag of bones," he hissed in an angry voice.

Deeply amused by Dr. Oliver's spunk, Rito scoffed and moved towards the door where Mark was sitting, but Dr. Oliver grabbed Rito and gave him a hard shove away from the truck. Katherine's eyes widened and she quickly moved over to Mark's door to guard her brother from possibly getting hurt by Rito.

Rito growled at Dr. Oliver and promptly punched him in the face with the bone sword, sending Dr. Oliver flying backwards on to the sidewalk, "Now, Katherine, be a good girl and let me have Zedison back."

"His name is Mark!" Katherine yelled as she pushed Rito away. "Leave him alone! I MEAN IT!"

Dr. Oliver groaned and slowly sat up with a bad bruise under one eye and a cut on his forehead above his eyebrow. He watched as Rito pushed Katherine aside and reached for the truck door handle.

"Get away from me, whoever you are!" Mark yelled anxiously, suddenly feeling darkness wash over him.

Rito cringed and quickly moved away, "This is not the end," he hissed right before he disappeared.

"What was that?!" Lieutenant Stone asked as he got out of his car and walked towards the crowd. He had been driving around doing patrol when Rito appeared and had started attacking innocent people.

Katherine didn't respond; she opened the door and quickly threw her arms around Mark, who was trembling from Rito being so close to him, "Relax, Mark, it's Kat," she whispered, hugging him gently.

"Doctor Oliver, you're bleeding," David commented as he turned and saw his uncle sitting on the sidewalk with blood trickling down his face. "I do not understand what that bone monster wanted."

As she continued to hold Mark close, Katherine said nothing; she knew that Rito would try and get Mark to come back to the Dark Dimension, but she didn't know why Rito had suddenly decided to leave. Had Mark chased him away?

* * *

Jason, Tommy, Laura, Adam, and Malcolm immediately found themselves surrounded by walls of stone with the only light sources being from barred windows. The air was cold and the floor was even colder.

"Ashley?" Laura said in a nervous voice, silently hoping that her sister was still alive in this awful prison.

There was a faint coughing noise and then Ashley came into view, "Wow, the Power Rangers are actually real!" she said in an excited voice as she looked at all of them. "I didn't think they were."

"Where's Skull?" Jason asked, worried that Skull might have become too weak and passed away.

Ashley sighed, "Eugene's resting in the corner using my backpack as a pillow," she replied in a worried voice as she hurried over to where she had left him to rest. "He was dizzy, so I gave him some water."

"That was good thinking, Ashley," Laura replied in a deeper voice. "We've come to rescue you both."

Before the Rangers could go over to Skull, unfortunately, Kimberly appeared and grinned at seeing the Power Rangers were there, "I thought you and Laura would still be on the couch, Tommy," she sneered in an angry voice as she gazed at Tommy before walking over to Laura. "You stole my man, Yellow."

"Kimberly, what are you talking about?" Laura asked in a surprised voice. "I'm not dating Tommy."

Kimberly laughed and suddenly grabbed Laura by the collar of her Ninja suit, "Your battle is with me," she hissed in an amused voice as she placed her hands around Laura's throat. "Let us begin!"

As Kimberly and Laura vanished, Malcolm and Adam hurried over to where Skull lay, "Ashley, go with the Black Ranger and the Orange Ranger," Tommy said in a commanding voice. "They'll get you two to safety and the Red Ranger and I will go after the Yellow Ranger. You were brave in helping Skull."

"Did you think I would let you get away that easily?" Rito asked as he suddenly appeared before them.

Before any of the Rangers could react, Rito pointed his sword at Ashley, "Back to your parents you go, little girl!" he said as he twirled the sword around. "Naughty little thing you are, running away!"

"Ashley!" Jason yelled as Ashley lost consciousness and vanished from the Dungeon of Despair.

Malcolm knelt down next to Skull, "Adam and I will get Skull out of here," he said as he looked at them.

"Tommy and I will go find where Kimberly took Laura," Jason replied. "Take Skull back to the hospital."

Malcolm nodded and he, Adam, and Skull quickly teleported out of the dungeon, "Would you like to see your yellow friend, boys?" Rito asked in amused voice. "She is being entertained by Kimberly!"

Before Jason or Tommy could reply, they disappeared from the dungeon.

* * *

Her power suit and Morpher were gone, Laura realized as she appeared in a wrestling ring surrounded by darkness and cold. Kimberly stood in the far corner of the ring with Rito standing beside her. They were both in sneakers, jeans, and she wore a yellow t-shirt while Kimberly wore a pink t-shirt.

Jason and Tommy suddenly appeared outside the ring, "Kimberly, why are you doing this?" Jason yelled, wondering why Kimberly would think Laura and Tommy were dating when she was just living at Dr. Oliver's house with Adam. "Please listen to us. Tommy and I care about both you and Laura a lot."

"If you cared about me so much, Jason, why did you and the other pathetic Power Rangers leave me behind?!" Kimberly yelled in an angry voice as she glared at her former friend. "Rito saved my life and gave me love and trust! I saved his life and now we're working together to destroy you Power Punks!"

Letting out a violent roar, Kimberly lunged towards Laura and knocked her to the ground, "You're just a nobody who always needs to be saved!" Kimberly yelled as she pulled Laura's hair. "Fight back!"

Not wanting to harm Kimberly because she was under a spell, Laura rolled and pulled herself into an upright position while Kimberly lay there fuming, "Kim, please, I still care about you," Tommy said as he climbed into the ring and walked towards her. "Let's get out of here and go home where we can talk."

Kimberly narrowed her eyes and Tommy suddenly demorphed before collapsing to the floor, "Tommy!" Jason shouted, annoyed when he couldn't seem to get into the ring. "Kim, what did you do to him?"

"He's just drained of his powers," Kimberly replied in an amused voice. "You're lucky I didn't kill him."

Jason quickly demorphed and glared at Kimberly, "What did you do with Laura's sister?" he asked.

"Ashley's gone?" Laura asked even though she knew she had to focus. "What happened to her?"

Rito chuckled, "She's been sent back to Los Angeles with no memory of what happened today," he replied in an amused voice. "You three are never getting out of here without a fight, you know."

Suddenly thinking of something Zordon had once said, Jason managed to get into the ring, "Let's combine our powers and Tommy's," he whispered into Laura's ear. "It will help us to escape."

Laura was about to say that she didn't have her coin or Morpher when Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out her Eagle Coin, "I took these before you were teleported," he whispered, slipping the Coin into her hand. "Let's work together and get Tommy's. If we combine our powers, we'll be safe."

"Okay," Laura whispered as Jason slowly walked over to Tommy and knelt down beside him.

For a moment, Laura was unsure of what to do and then, thinking hard, she assumed a 'damsel-in-distress' expression on her face, "Oh, Kimberly, I fear that you are right about Tommy and I," she said in a helpless voice, silently hoping that Kimberly and Rito would buy it. "Would you please permit me to say some last words to the fearless Falcon before I engage you in a fight to the death like you want me to so much?"

"I suppose," Kimberly replied crossly as she crossed her arms. "Hurry up about it, though!"

Ignoring Jason's bewildered expression, Laura walked over to Tommy and knelt down. She pressed her Power Coin against his and gave him a reassuring look as Jason silently added his coin to theirs.

"We are the Power Rangers," Jason whispered. "Fearless strong warriors who work together…"

Suddenly, Laura, Jason, and Tommy teleported away. "NO!" Kimberly and Rito roared furiously.

* * *

"…As a team," Tommy whispered as he, Jason, and Laura appeared in the Command Center.

Alpha hurried over to the three of them, "Rangers!" he exclaimed worriedly as Tommy slowly sat up.

"Are you all right, Tommy?" Jason asked in a concerned voice as he helped Tommy stand up.

Tommy nodded and looked around for Laura, only to find her over near the bed where Billy was laying with his eyes closed, "Zordon, how's Billy doing?" she asked, not wanting to focus on how badly she humiliated herself just to get out of the Dungeon of Despair. "Why did his Morpher explode like that?"

"At this time, Alpha has not been able to determine that," Zordon replied in a grave tone. "However, we will keep Billy here for observation in case there are any lingering side effects. For now, he is sleeping."

Laura nodded and sighed, "I think I'm gonna go back to Doctor Oliver's and go to bed," she said as she turned to Jason and Tommy. "It's been a really long day, I'm tired, and I really want to be alone."

"May the Power protect you, Laura," Zordon said in a gentle voice. "Your rest has been well-earned."

Laura nodded and quickly teleported out of the Command Center before Jason or Tommy could speak, "I am also happy to report that Adam and Malcolm returned Skull to the hospital," Zordon stated in a less somber voice. "Rito did also try and capture Mark Hillard, but luckily, he failed in the attempt…"

"Why is Rito so intent on capturing Mark Hillard?" Jason asked, confused. "Isn't Zedison's power gone?"

Zordon nodded, "As long as Rito doesn't capture him, Mark remains free of the spell that made him a servant of Rita and Zedd's," he replied. "From what I observed, Mark has chosen to be afraid of Rito and of anything remotely evil even though he is now blind. Mark became blind as a result of Ivan Ooze."

"No wonder Katherine's so protective of him," Jason commented. "He's got no memory of that."

Tommy sighed and Zordon gave him a look, "Tommy, before you go home, I want Alpha to run a quick scan on you to make sure that Kimberly didn't inflict any permanent damage on you," Zordon said in a no-nonsense voice. "Jason, you can go home. Malcolm is already there like nothing has happened."

"My Uncle Frank told me not to overdo it," Tommy mumbled as Jason teleported out. "He'll be upset when he sees that I'm really tired."

* * *

Relieved to finally have a moment alone, Laura touched down in Dr. Oliver's kitchen and was very surprised to see it completely clean. She sighed; perhaps the party had been called off.

The clock hanging above the kitchen sink read 10:45 and Laura sighed and silently moved down the hallway towards her bedroom. Seeing Ashley, not being able to tell her who she was, losing her again, and then facing a brainwashed Kimberly in a life-or-death situation had made her extremely tired.

"Who's out there?" Dr. Oliver's voice asked as Laura suddenly passed by his slightly open office door.

Laura froze and remained completely silent for a moment; she didn't want to talk to anyone just yet.

Swallowing hard, Laura turned to the door, "Laura, sir," she replied in a nervous voice. "I was just…"

"Why don't you come in?" Dr. Oliver's voice replied. "Tommy's just been filling me in on things."

Fighting the urge to scoff or roll her eyes, Laura pushed open the door and was immediately enamored by the handmade furniture and décor in the room. Dr. Oliver was seated in a black plush chair behind a desk with a computer on it. Large bookshelves filled with books and tiny trinkets lined the back walls.

"What happened to your eye, sir?" Laura asked as she walked into the room and saw his black eye and the bandage on his forehead. "And your forehead?"

Dr. Oliver smiled patiently as he touched his bruised eye, "Just got into a little mishap while I was out walking," he replied gently. "I heard about your sister and I am really sorry. I do think, however, that you shouldn't go looking for her and that you should stay here and grow. There will come opportunity to help her soon enough and please do call me Doctor Oliver, child."

Laura nodded silently, "I also cancelled the party in light of what happened today," Dr. Oliver continued in a gentle voice as he picked up an icepack up off the desk and pressed it against his eye. "We'll plan one for another time, but I think now is the best time for you both to go to your rooms for the night. It's been a long day for everyone and Adam's already asleep in his room."

Swallowing hard, Laura nodded and quietly walked out of the office; she was still very much embarrassed about Kimberly's insinuation that she and Tommy had feelings for each other. She didn't have the courage to show love to anyone right now, Laura thought as she disappeared into her bedroom and closed the door; it was hard enough trying to find love for herself.

Tommy, meanwhile, was very much disturbed by the fact that Kimberly was now evil, no longer cared for him, and had tried to hurt him and those thoughts consumed him as he disappeared into his own room and shut the door. He needed to sleep and meditate on all that had happened since Kimberly had been captured and brainwashed, especially on the events of the day.

Dr. Oliver, meanwhile, remained seated at his desk deep in thought as he silently rubbed the gem that was embedded in the special arrowhead necklace he had gotten as a gift; the Rangers would soon need extra help to continue on.

* * *

Please read and give detailed reviews so that I feel motivated to continue on with this story!


	28. Shadows of Past and Future

"Class, I've just been given word that the Power Rangers were on the news this weekend!" Ms. Appleby said in an excited voice as Tommy suddenly walked into the room dressed in sneakers, white khakis, and a white t-shirt. "Tommy Oliver, you're late for class; do you mind telling me why that is, please?"

Tommy sighed and handed the note his uncle had written for him to Ms. Appleby, "I have a note," he replied in a polite voice as he watched Ms. Appleby read it. "I also have the makeup homework…"

Suddenly, Dr. Oliver came into the room and handed Tommy a backpack, "You forgot this," he whispered gently to Tommy before leaving again. Tommy blushed, but remained silent and still.

"All right, Tommy, your tardiness is excused," Ms. Appleby said cheerfully. "Please take a seat."

Tommy nodded and quietly slipped into his desk across from Malcolm, trying to ignore the fact that Skull's seat was empty and Bulk was in his seat, silently wondering why Skull wasn't in school.

Ms. Appleby, meanwhile, had put a tape into the VCR and turned on the TV, "I taped this over the weekend and I want everyone to listen carefully," she said, smiling at the class. "Here we go."

A news reporter's face came on the screen, _"Once again, the amazing Power Rangers have done good for the City of Angel Grove," he said in a brisk voice. "Mirantha Skullovitch has just explained to us that her son, Eugene, was kidnapped from his cancer treatment at Angel Grove Hospital by henchmen of Rita Repulsa and he was saved by the Power Rangers! Mrs. Skullovitch and her son declined interviews…"_

"Cancer?" Bulk whispered, his eyes widening in shock. "My best buddy has cancer and didn't tell me?"

Ms. Appleby cleared her throat and Bulk focused back on the screen, _"Also, we have to acknowledge some local citizens as they were faced with a perilous situation of their own and didn't panic under pressure," the reporter continued briskly. "We take you to this video that was shot of the events…"_

Jason, Laura, Malcolm, Adam, and Tommy were all shocked when a video of Rito trying to get into a truck where Mark was sitting appeared on the screen. They watched as Rito cackled and aimed his bone sword at the truck, but before he could touch it, Dr. Oliver got right in Rito's face in a fighting stance, "Get out of here you creepy bag of bones," he hissed in an angry voice.

_Deeply amused by Dr. Oliver's spunk, Rito scoffed and moved towards the door where Mark was sitting, but Dr. Oliver grabbed Rito and gave him a hard shove away from the truck. Katherine's eyes widened and she quickly moved over to Mark's door to guard her brother from possibly getting hurt by Rito while Rocky and Zack helped Dr. Oliver. Tommy looked almost horrified at his uncle facing off against Rito and was also concerned by the fact that both Rocky and Zack could have also ended up getting hurt._

_"The citizens have asked not to be named, but we commend them for assisting the Power Rangers in their efforts to keep Angel Grove a safe place," the reporter said as the image faded. "This is…"_

Ms. Appleby shut off the TV and VCR, "Lieutenant Stone of the Angel Grove Police Force was kind enough to videotape these events to show that within each of us is a hero," she said in a gentle voice as she smiled at Rocky, Zack, Katherine, and Mark. "For today's assignment, I'd like each of you to pick a hero and write a paper about why you see your choice as a hero. Tommy, do you have your work?"

For a moment, Tommy didn't reply; he was too busy thinking about how incredibly brave his uncle was in trying to fend off Rito, "Tommy, are you all right?" Ms. Appleby asked, suddenly concerned for his health.

"Yes, I'm fine," Tommy replied as he quickly opened his backpack and pulled out the large binder that had all his completed makeup homework in it. "Here's all the work you asked me to do while I was sick."

Smiling, Ms. Appleby walked over to his desk and took the binder, "Thank you," she replied pleasantly.

"No problem," Tommy replied, his smile fading when Lt. Stone suddenly entered the classroom.

Ms. Appleby walked over to Lt. Stone and the two talked in hushed voices for a minute, "Katherine and Mark, Lieutenant Stone wants to talk with you in the hall for a moment," she said, gazing over at them.

Even though she was confused, Katherine nodded and stood up. She helped Mark stand and guided him towards the door since he still didn't have a new cane. Lt. Stone left the room and they silently followed.

"Class, why don't you use the rest of the period to think about your heroes and plan out your papers?" Ms. Appleby suggested as she took Tommy's binder back to her desk. "I have some marking to do."

* * *

Meanwhile, David was lingering outside of Dr. Oliver's office, trying to gather enough courage to knock on the door and talk to his biological uncle about Tommy. David was very anxious to let Tommy know who he was, but he lacked the courage and needed to also be reassured of Tommy's kind nature.

The door suddenly opened and Dr. Oliver, who was still sporting the black eye and bandage on his forehead, poked his head out, "David, what can I do for you?" he asked in a pleasant voice.

"I was hoping to talk to you about Tommy," David replied nervously. "I have a spare and I…"

Dr. Oliver smiled, "You're still nervous about telling him, aren't you?" he asked in a gentle voice.

"He might wonder why I am waiting until now to approach him," David replied nervously.

Nodding, Dr. Oliver leaned against the doorway, "I gave Tommy his half of the arrowhead while he was in the hospital, but I told him that it was a special healing gift," he explained in a gentle voice. "I see that you're wearing your half of the arrowhead, so why don't you start by showing him your piece?"

David nodded and caressed his half arrowhead necklace, but before he could reply, Katherine came speedwalking down the hallway with a distraught looking Mark, "Doctor Oliver, can we talk to you?" she asked in an upset voice. "Lieutenant Stone just told us that our parents went missing during their dig."

"Is there anything I can do?" David asked in a concerned voice, suddenly forgetting about Tommy.

Katherine shook her head, "I think Mark just needs someone to talk to," she replied. "Thank you."

"I'll talk to you later, David," Dr. Oliver said as Katherine led Mark into the office. "Okay?"

As the office door closed, David nodded and turned away; he had to talk to Tommy as soon as possible.

* * *

The bell rang and Laura was the first out of the classroom with her arms full of books because she had lost her backpack earlier that day when she had left it on the sink of the girl's bathroom to use the toilet and had come out to find it gone, but her books there.

She quietly made her way over to her assigned locker and was annoyed to find Bulk hanging out at her locker with her empty backpack in his hand.

"What do you want, Farkas?" Laura asked in an annoyed voice. "Come to return my backpack?"

Bulk cringed, "Don't call me that!" he hissed in an annoyed voice. "I need you to do me a favor."

"You can't copy my essay," Laura replied sternly. "I don't have any heroes that I can about."

Bulk scoffed, "I need you to help me sneak out of school so I can go visit Skull in the hospital," he replied in an anxious whisper. "I want to ask him why he didn't bother to tell me that he was sick with cancer."

"You can visit Skull after school," Laura replied in an annoyed voice as she gently shunted Bulk aside so she could get to her locker. "Give me back my backpack so I can get on with my day please; right now."

Bulk suddenly looked amused and chuckled, "Did your mom and dad hit you on the head hard enough for you to forget who you're talking to?" he replied in a loud voice. "You can't tell me what to do."

As Bulk laughed, Laura suddenly flashed back to when her parents would mock her for being too weak to stand up for herself and she began hitting Bulk hard, thinking he was a recurrence of her past.

Bulk's laughter alerted Jason, Malcolm, Adam, and Tommy as they came out of Ms. Appleby's class and they, along with a small crowd of students, were shocked to see Laura trying to fight Bulk and failing miserably while Bulk held her empty backpack in his hand and wore an amused expression on his face.

"All right, that's quite enough," Mr. Caplan said as he came down the hallway, waded through the crowd, and got between Bulk and Laura. "Would someone mind telling me what's going on?"

Laura blinked and suddenly looked around confused, "What was I doing?" she asked, suddenly feeling very disoriented as she looked at Bulk holding her backpack. "Bulk stole my backpack, Mister Caplan."

"Bulk, please return Miss Hammond's backpack to her," Mr. Caplan said in an impatient voice.

Bulk scoffed, but returned the backpack, "Miss Hammond, please come with me right now," Mr. Caplan said in a commanding voice. "Everyone else please go back to whatever you were doing."

"What's going on?" Katherine asked as she came down the hallway from Dr. Oliver's office after leaving Mark there so he could chat privately with Dr. Oliver. "Why's there a big crowd in the hallway?"

Jason looked at Katherine, "Bulk was bothering Laura and she tried to beat him up," he replied.

"Bulk, I'll see you in detention after school for stealing Miss Hammond's backpack," Mr. Caplan called out as he led a nervous looking Laura down the hallway. "For now, get to your next class please."

* * *

Nearly fifteen minutes later, Mr. Caplan stopped outside of a rarely used classroom and opened the door, revealing nothing but dusty desks and shelves full of extra textbooks, "Physically attacking other students is not tolerated at Angel Grove High School in the least bit," he explained in a stern voice. "I understand that Farkas Bulkmeier may have provoked you, but there were better ways to respond to the situation than violence."

"Yes sir," Laura replied, deeply unnerved by what she had done. "How long do I have to sit in here?"

Mr. Caplan sighed, checked his watch, and then pointed into the classroom, "For the rest of the morning at least and we'll consider it a mandatory quiet time session," he said in an impatient voice. "I'll let your teachers know and I'll send someone to come get you around lunch time. Please go sit down."

Swallowing hard, Laura silently walked inside the classroom and sat in the desk closest to the door, remaining silent as Mr. Caplan shut the door. She then put her backpack on the desk and sighed. What had she done?

* * *

"Tommy, do you have a minute?" David asked as he entered the weight room and saw Tommy and Jason working out together while Adam and Malcolm sat on the bleachers and did schoolwork.

Tommy nodded and sat up, "Yeah, David, what can I do for you?" he asked in a curious voice.

"I was wondering if we could go for a walk and talk?" David asked, not wanting Jason to overhear.

Deeply confused, Tommy looked to Jason, "I'll be fine," Jason said in a reassuring voice. "Have fun."

Tommy quickly got up and followed Jason out of the weight room, "What can I do for you?" he asked as he and David walked down the hallway. David was silent and gazed at Tommy's necklace for a moment.

"Oh, what do you think of my little half-arrowhead necklace?" Tommy asked as he held it up. "My Uncle Frank gave it to me when I was sick in the hospital and he said it had special healing powers."

David nodded and held up the half-arrowhead necklace that was around his own neck, "I have had this ever since I was a child; my parents gave it to me and my adoptive father let me keep it."

"Wow, you were adopted too?" Tommy asked in an awed voice. "My Uncle Frank adopted me when I was very little."

For a moment David was silent and then moved closer to Tommy; he removed his arrowhead necklace and held it against Tommy's. The two pieces suddenly glowed and fused into a whole piece that quickly faded into a white, triangle-shaped stone. Tommy gasped and quickly removed his necklace.

"The pieces matched," Tommy gasped as he held the stone in the palm of his hand. "Why?"

David smiled and for a moment, he said nothing; he was too afraid of how Tommy would react.

"Why did you want to show me this?" Tommy asked in a nervous voice. "What is this stone?"

Suddenly, the whole arrowhead appeared in David's hand, "I am your brother," he said softly.

"What?" Tommy asked in a shocked voice as he gazed at the stone in his palm and then at David.

* * *

"…You should have seen it!" Jason heard as he and Malcolm joined the crowd that was gathering outside the cafeteria waiting for it to open for lunch. "Mister Caplan dragged Laura off for an all-day detention and all I have to do is report for one after school! She's nothing but a violent freak!"

Jason frowned and looked at Malcolm just as Katherine came over to them, "It's not an all-day detention," she whispered to them, having overheard Bulk's comments. "I was helping in the office just before I came here and Mister Caplan just wanted to give Laura time to cool down. He asked me to go and get her before I go to lunch; would you two like to come with me and see how she's doing?"

"I'd better wait here," Malcolm replied in a nervous voice. "I'm volunteering in here over lunch hour."

Jason nodded and followed Katherine down the hallway, "Why would Laura try and attack Bulk over something as meaningless as a backpack?" Katherine asked in a concerned voice. "It's not like her."

Before Jason, who hadn't forgotten what his father had told him, could reply, he spotted Tommy and David sitting in the school foyer deep in conversation while looking at items in each other's hands.

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

"Yeah Zordon?" Jason asked in a quiet voice as he held his Communicator up to his mouth. "What is it?"

Katherine looked at the Communicator curiously, "Jason, teleport to the Command Center immediately," Zordon replied in a solemn voice. "There is a grave emergency you need to know about."

"Tell Laura I'm sorry," Jason said in a low voice as he darted into an empty classroom to teleport out.

Katherine sighed and continued down the hallway, "Hi Kat," David said in a pleasant voice.

"Hello David," Katherine replied, smiling at him. "Hey Tommy, how are you feeling?"

Tommy and David looked at each other for a moment and then back at Katherine, "Kat, guess what?" Tommy said in an excited voice as he got to his feet. "David and I are brothers; isn't that cool?"

"That's really awesome," Katherine replied in a gentle voice. "I have to go get Laura, so see you."

Tommy frowned, "I heard about her getting in a fight with Bulk," he said. "Is she okay? Where is she?"

"Mister Caplan put her in a classroom and told her to stay there until lunch time to cool down," Katherine replied in a worried voice. "I was helping in the office, so he sent me to get her."

David looked concerned, "Laura as in Laura Hammond, that girl who ran away?" he asked worriedly.

"Laura's not a violent person as far as I know," Tommy commented even though he was very unsure.

Katherine shrugged, "Oh, David, I think Mark's done talking with Doctor Oliver," she said quickly, not wanting to gossip about anyone, especially one as kind as Laura. "He's feeling a lot better than he was."

"Can I come with you, Kat?" Tommy asked in a worried voice. "I'm sure she could use some support."

Katherine nodded as David moved away, "Let's meet up at the Youth Center later, David," Tommy suggested in a kind voice. "I want to get to know you better and to introduce you to my friends."

"All right," David replied in a pleasant voice as he tucked the arrowhead into his pocket. "See you."

Tommy nodded and followed Katherine down the hallway to a closed door, "She's in here," Katherine replied in a pleasant voice. "Mister Caplan's concerned that Laura's having a hard time adjusting…"

Fully understanding what Laura was going through because of his past experiences, Tommy silently opened the door and saw Laura standing by the window, silently gazing outside at the nice day.

"Mister Caplan says you can come out if you're feeling better," Katherine commented as she walked into the room and over to where Laura was standing. "He just wanted you to have a quiet place to relax."

Laura sighed, "Ever since the whole thing with Kimberly and my sister, I've just felt so helpless," she replied in a hollow voice, not bothering to turn and look at them. "That feeling has made me angry."

"Angry at whom?" Katherine asked as she gently put an arm around Laura. "Angry at Tommy or I?"

Shaking her head, Laura turned to face Katherine, "I'm angry that I couldn't do more to stop Kimberly and Rito from taking Ashley away from me again," she replied bitterly. "I had the opportunity to fight Kimberly on my own and I really wanted to; especially after she hurt Tommy, but I couldn't…"

"You were better off not fighting Kimberly," Tommy interjected as he walked into the room. "Rito's put her under some really powerful spell and he obviously gave her some magic too. Jason had the right idea to get us out of there while we were able to escape. You were a great actress then, by the way."

Suddenly realizing that Tommy was referring to the routine she had used to trick Kimberly, Laura blushed and fought the urge to laugh, "It was the only thing I could think of," she replied quietly.

"If you three don't stop talking, you're going to miss the rest of your lunch period," Dr. Oliver said in an amused voice as he entered the classroom. "Laura, I heard you had a little mishap this morning with a Farkas Bulkmeier in the hallway. I want to make sure you're okay before I let you go to lunch. Are you?"

Swallowing hard, Laura tensed up, "Yes sir, everything's fine," she lied cheerfully. "I'm really hungry."

"Katherine, I trust you can help Laura get some lunch?" Dr. Oliver asked in a pleasant voice.

Katherine nodded and led Laura over to the desk where her backpack and books were. Dr. Oliver and Tommy watched silently as Laura and Katherine quickly gathered the items and then left in silence.

"I don't think Laura's being entirely truthful, but I'll approach her later on when she's calmer," Dr. Oliver commented in a gentle voice. "However, Tommy, I'm more concerned about you right now."

Tommy nodded and sighed as he held out the small rock that had appeared after he had combined his arrowhead piece with David's, "David told me who he was after our arrowhead pieces fused together," he explained in a quiet voice. "This appeared in my hand and I started remembering back to when you adopted me. I ended up sharing with David about my time at that psychiatric center when I was young."

Dr. Oliver sighed patiently and gave his nephew a concerned look, "You need to learn to let it go, kiddo," he replied in a gentle voice. "It's good that you shared something personal with your brother, but you can't let it affect what you want to do and who you want to become. We'll keep working on that, okay?"

"Okay," Tommy replied, silently trying to calm himself. "What do I do about this stone, though?"

For a moment, Dr. Oliver examined the stone, "After school's done, why don't you take it to the Command Center and see if Alpha can analyze it for you?" he suggested. "It might be important."

"I'll do that," Tommy replied, slipping the stone into his pocket. "Boy, I'm really, really hungry."

Dr. Oliver chuckled and gestured to the door, "Let's go get some lunch then," he replied gently as he put an arm around his nephew and led him from the room.

* * *

"Whoa," Jason said as he touched down in the Command Center and saw Alpha hovering beside the cot where a very pale older man lay asleep. "I thought one had to be a Power Ranger to get in here?!"

The man opened his eyes, "Jason, it's me," he said in a very faint voice. "It's Billy, Jason."

"Billy?" Jason asked, shocked that his friend looked like he was near death. "How did you get so old?"

Billy chuckled and promptly coughed, "The Orb of Doom," he replied tiredly. "I broke it, remember?"

"Billy is correct, Jason," Zordon interjected. "When Billy stole the Orb of Doom from the brainwashed Katherine and broke it, he absorbed some of the energy from it. The result of that is his current state."

Jason looked horrified, "Is there any way to reverse it?" he asked, worried that Billy could die from it.

"There is, but it is very dangerous," Zordon replied. "We have enough energy from the Morphing Grid to send Billy back in time to retrieve a piece of the legendary Zeo Star. The trip into the past and the star piece will cause Billy to revert back to his proper age. It will be the third piece of the star to be retrieved."

Suddenly confused, Jason frowned, "The third piece?" he asked. "What about the first two pieces?"

"You and Malcolm were given the first two pieces when you went back in time to Angel Grove 1987 to protect Kimberly from being erased from history," Zordon replied. "Alpha has secured those pieces in storage for the time being."

Jason looked to Billy, "Are you sure you're up to doing this, Billy?" he asked in a worried voice.

Billy nodded and winced as he got up from the cot, "There's not really a choice," he replied in an anxious tone as he faced his friend. "I want to be put right and the Zeo Star pieces are needed for all of you."

"I don't understand why," Jason commented in a worried voice. "Don't we still have our Ninja Powers?"

Alpha whimpered as Billy began to breathe heavily, "Soon your Ninja Powers will be completely drained because of Rito and Kimberly's interference," Zordon explained. "Each of you will have a part in seeking out and finding each piece of the legendary Zeo Star at one point or another. For now, it is Billy's turn."

"I want to get going," Billy replied as he moved over to the controls and leaned on them for support.

Alpha looked to Jason, "You are here, Jason, because Billy was concerned about failing in his quest and should he fail, you will go back and retrieve the piece yourself. However, I doubt that Billy will fail."

"Billy's never failed at anything," Jason replied confidently. "Be safe during your quest, my friend."

Billy smiled and hugged Jason with all his might, "I will," Billy replied. "Thanks for your confidence."

Jason nodded and silently watched as Alpha hurried over to the teleportation controls and quickly programmed the co-ordinates into the computer, "May the Power protect you, Billy," Zordon said.

"Safe travels my friend," Jason whispered as Billy sighed and teleported out of the Command Center.

* * *

Fading rays of sunlight shone down on Billy as he appeared on a dirt road that seemed to lead to nowhere either way. The sky was large and dark with clouds threatening to unleash torrential rain on him, Billy thought, as he began to walk down the dirt road. He suddenly felt stronger and younger.

Just as quickly as it had arrived, the sun was swallowed by the darkness and thunder rumbled overhead.

Rain suddenly fell in a torrential pattern and Billy found himself running to keep himself from being caught in the dirt that was now being soaked into impassable stretches of mud. He could see a collection of well-constructed huts in the distance, but a river separated him from the safety of the small village.

After taking a moment to recall Dulcea's words about facing his demons and remembering when he overcame his fear of water, Billy charged forward and quickly found himself at the steep bank that would lead down into the riverbed and to a log that could serve as a safe way across the river.

Swallowing hard, Billy used any branches he could to carefully make his way down the steep hill and the bridge was quickly within his reach. Even though the bridge looked unstable, Billy summoned what courage he could and slowly began making his way across the narrow bridge with intense concentration.

Just as Billy began to think he would be all right, he suddenly slipped in a patch of mud and fell forward towards a patch of mud covered rocks that were no bigger than his fists. Lightning flashed as his head came into contact with a large stone that was just to the left of a muddy trail that seemed to go upward.

For a moment, Billy lay face down and in shock at what had happened before pain shot through his body, bringing him back to reality. As he lost consciousness, Billy vaguely heard footsteps and yelling nearby.

* * *

**Please read and give detailed reviews so I feel encouraged to continue the story!**


	29. Advanced Loss of Control

"…_Check on our guest, young one."_

"…_He looks very pale; will he be all right?"_

Billy opened his eyes and immediately found his vision blurred; for a moment, he wondered what had happened to his glasses and then pain shot through his head and body, causing him to groan loudly.

"Our stranger is awake," a gentle accent suddenly said. "Go and sit with him; take him his glasses."

Billy suddenly heard movement and felt his glasses being placed over his eyes, immediately correcting his vision. He saw a young African girl who dressed in a colorful tribal dress and bandana with a small triangle-shaped rock on a string around her neck standing over him. The girl gave him a gentle smile.

"How are you feeling?" the girl asked in a gentle voice as she knelt down beside where he was laying.

Billy frowned, "Where am I?" he asked, wincing as he tried to sit up. "My head and my chest really hurt."

"You hit your head when you slipped and fell," the girl replied. "You also hurt some of your ribs."

Unable to ignore the pain, Billy forced himself to lay back and was surprised to find that he was on some sort of a ground level bed and, moving the blanket, he found that his ribs had been bandaged up and that his shirt was gone. He was covered with large quilts that looked handmade, but very comfy.

"My name is Tanya," Tanya said, frowning at how much pain he seemed to be in. "The tribal healer found you hurt and brought you back to our camp. You've been asleep in this bed for three days."

Billy nodded and immediately winced, "You should rest some more and I will be here if you wake again," Tanya said in the same gentle voice. "Maybe if you feel better this evening, you can try to eat a bit."

Even though he knew he had to hurry and finish the task Zordon gave him, Billy couldn't help but find more rest appealing, especially considering the amount of pain he was in. As he closed his eyes again, Tanya gave him a reassuring smile and silently left the room so that he could sleep peacefully.

"He is sleeping again, Healer," Tanya said in a low voice as she approached a table where an elderly African woman sat with a young girl who was wearing a tribal dress and similar colored scrunchie that pulled back her dark, corn-braided hair. "I told him to rest and that he could eat later this evening."

The elderly woman nodded and Tanya edged closer to the table, "Healer, what about that strange coin the man had in his pocket?" she asked in a curious voice. "Do you think it might help him feel better?"

"It's got a symbol of a wolf on it," the other girl said in a quiet voice. "Does that mean he's brave?"

Tanya touched the coin and immediately began to feel as if her heart were on fire, "Healer, this man needs help that I think I can provide," she said, giving the elderly woman and a little girl a glance.

"Aisha, can you help Tanya?" the elderly woman asked as she looked to the other little girl.

For a moment, Aisha was silent and then she touched the coin; a warm feeling entered her heart.

"That's Billy in there," Aisha said, the memories of her past and days as a Power Ranger suddenly returning to her with such intensity. "He has come to us to accomplish something important."

* * *

_Violent Freak. Mute Loner. Anorexic Hobo._ Laura thought as she sat at her bedroom desk surrounded by open textbooks and a notebook. School had been long, hard, and trying that day and Laura was happy to be back in the bedroom designated hers at Dr. Oliver's house; it was truly a safe and secure zone for her.

Even being in most of the same classes as Rocky, Adam, Tommy, Jason, Katherine, Malcolm, and Zack, Laura knew that she was alone at Angel Grove High, especially now. Ever since she had tried to beat up Bulk, most of the students regarded her as a freak and shunned her. Bulk also continued to tease her.

It was nearly five in the afternoon and, although Laura had finished most of her homework nearly half an hour ago, she preferred to stay in her bedroom. Ms. Appleby's essay wasn't due until the next week and Laura planned to blow it off anyway, as she didn't have a hero in her life; she was alone and fragile.

_Knock, knock, knock._

Laura remained quiet as she got up from her desk and walked over to her backpack that sat on her bed with spray paint on it; the result of either Bulk himself or those who listened to Bulk spread rumors about her, her past, and her fight with him. Her locker had gotten the same spray paint job earlier.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Laura dumped the books out of her bag on to the bed and tossed the backpack on the floor to never be used again, "Please just go away," she said in an annoyed voice. "I'm tired."

Footsteps moved away from the door and, relieved, Laura got up and walked over to the door. She opened it and stepped out, unaware that someone with sock feet was sneaking up behind her.

A hand went down on her shoulder and Laura screamed loudly, "Hey, it's just me," Tommy's gentle voice spoke up from behind. "I was trying to get you to come out of your room cause I was worried."

Laura turned and glared at Tommy, "I thought you were going to the Youth Center with David after school today," she said in an irritated voice. "I told your uncle that I was going to the hospital with Adam to take Skull his homework so that nobody would think to bother me here. I have homework to do."

"My uncle's a lot smarter than you give him credit for," Tommy replied, cracking a smile. "He figured you were going to come back here to be by yourself, so he asked me to check on you. David and I were going to the Youth Center to watch Jason's class anyway and maybe you'd like to come with us too?"

Laura sighed, "No thanks, I'm not going to the Youth Center," she replied, having had enough shunning and torment for one day. "I'm assuming that you've heard the rumors Bulk's been spreading?"

"I have," David suddenly cut in as he came down the hallway. "They are just rumors."

Tommy frowned, "Why haven't you told any teachers that Bulk's making things so hard for you?" he asked in a worried voice. "I didn't think Bulk would keep teasing you after you tried to fight him."

"He spray painted my locker and wrecked my backpack," Laura replied standoffishly.

David and Tommy exchanged a look, "It might be a good idea for you to take Jason's class so you become better at standing up for yourself," Tommy commented. "Martial arts helps people to develop self-confidence and Jason's a really patient teacher; he would be more than happy to have you there."

"I've always wanted to learn martial arts," Laura replied, suddenly intrigued. "Could I really?"

Tommy nodded, pleased to see Laura looking so eager, "My uncle already said it was okay and he says he'll come by the Youth Center after he finishes some work at the school," he said in an upbeat voice.

"All right," Laura replied, secretly grateful that someone seemed to care about her. "Let's go."

* * *

Soft classical music filled Adam's ears as he stepped off the elevator and on to the Oncology floor where Skull had told him to meet him with the day's homework. Since Skull wasn't able to attend school anymore due to his weak immune system, he had asked Mr. Caplan to send someone to tutor him and Adam had readily volunteered after Mr. Caplan had been unable to get in contact with Billy.

"Excuse me, I'm here to meet a patient," Adam said in a kind voice as he approached the desk where a nurse sat working on a computer. "His name is Eugene Skullovitch and he's got a treatment today…"

The nurse nodded and pointed down the hallway, "Room Five," she said in a bored voice.

Seeing that the nurse didn't look too interested in helping him, Adam silently made his way down the hallway until he found the closed door to Room Five. The music he had heard earlier seemed to be coming from the room, he reasoned. Letting out a deep sigh, Adam carefully opened the door.

A figure in a hooded cloak was seated at a very clean piano in the corner of the room while a soft chair that Adam assumed to be Skull's was empty. Adam suddenly spotted an intravenous bag on a pole next to the piano and his eyes widened in shock; why was Skull playing music during his chemotherapy?

"Skull?" Adam asked in a gentle voice as he snuck over to the piano and removed the hood. "Whoa."

Skull flinched and he turned to face Adam, "Where'd you learn to play like that?" Adam asked softly.

"My mom got me learning piano when I first had cancer because it kept my mind off of being sick and having to have awful treatments," Skull replied in a nervous voice. "I thought Mister Caplan was getting Billy to bring me my homework every day since I can't go to school? That's what my mom told me."

Adam sighed patiently, "Billy graduated early and he went on a little trip," he lied in a nervous voice, as he had no idea where Billy had gotten to in the last few days; maybe Billy just wanted some privacy.

"Lucky shmuck," Skull replied in a tired voice. "Hey, Adam, have you hung out with Kimberly lately?"

Adam frowned, "Kimberly?" he asked in a worried voice. "I didn't know Kimberly was back in town."

"She came by during my treatment yesterday and said that if I wanted to be well, she could take my cancer away," Skull replied in a nervous voice. "I was a little freaked out and asked her to leave."

Adam nodded; he wondered if Rito was trying to find a replacement soldier since Mark Hillard had no memory of his past life as Zedison and no future desire to retake that role, but to send _Kimberly_…

"I didn't tell my mom that Kimberly stopped by, but I did tell Bulk to make sure that Kim wasn't hanging around the Youth Center today," Skull finally continued. "If this treatment doesn't make me too sick, I'm thinking of taking a bus over there to get a milkshake and maybe see if Bulk wants to play video games."

Suddenly remembering why he had come, Adam held out the books he had brought, "It's mostly reading today," he explained in a gentle voice. "There are some mid-term exams next week too, but if…"

"I'll just do a little of the reading," Skull replied as he slowly stood up, grabbed his pole for support, and walked back to the chair, where he sat down. "My mom and dad both have to work overtime to pay for these treatments, so I either stay home or hang out in the park until it's time to go to the hospital."

Adam quietly handed Skull the book on the top of the pile and Skull opened it just as quietly, "Ever since Bulk got into a fight with Laura Hammond at school, my mom's not letting him come visit me during my treatments because she thinks he's got an anger problem," Skull said softly as he flipped the pages.

Adam was silent for what seemed like several seconds and Skull suddenly blinked, "My eyes are fried," he said in a listless voice as he took a tissue from the tissue box on the nearby table and marked his place in the book with it before shutting it. "If my hair falls out while I'm asleep, please ignore it."

Skull's snores quickly filled the room as he fell asleep and Adam was left standing there holding several textbooks; he knew that the other Rangers would have to be alerted to the fact that Rito and Kimberly were trying to get Skull to replace the lost Zedison and that they would need to protect Skull.

As he watched Skull sleep, Adam couldn't help but wonder what Bulk was doing at that exact moment.

* * *

A large bucket filled with soapy water and a rag greeted Bulk as he approached the spot where Dr. Oliver told him to report after school; Laura's locker, which had been spray painted with many colors. Mr. Caplan had told him that Dr. Oliver was going to supervise the day's detention, much to Bulk's shock

"What is this?" Bulk asked, gazing at the filled bucket and rag with a dumbfounded expression.

As Bulk turned away, he suddenly felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder, "Consider it a hands-on detention," the stern voice of Dr. Oliver suddenly filtered into his ear. "Turn around and get to work."

Bulk quickly turned around and was shocked to see Dr. Oliver standing there in khakis, a red and white checkered dress shirt, boots, and a jacket with his familiar necklace around his neck, "You didn't think I'd find out about Laura Hammond's backpack and her locker, Mister Bulkmeier?" he asked in a stern voice.

"How?" was all Bulk could say as he was deep in shock about Dr. Oliver's anger. "How did you…?"

Dr. Oliver folded his arms, "I hear things from students who you've made enemies with," he replied in a stern voice. "It so happened that these witnesses came to me and I went to Mister Caplan. He and I agreed that after you're done cleaning the locker, we'll see if Laura wants to press charges."

"P-Press charges?" Bulk asked in a shocked voice as his eyes widened. "Like with the police?"

Dr. Oliver nodded, "Vandalism is a crime," he replied sternly. "I suggest you get to work immediately."

Bulk whimpered, picked up the rag, and began to clean the spray off of Laura's locker, "…You were invited to go watch Jason's class, sis," the gentle voice of Mark Hillard filtered down the hallway as Dr. Oliver suddenly heard footsteps approaching. "You didn't have to stay and help me with my work."

"...I'm not very social," Katherine said to Mark as the two came around the corner and she saw Dr. Oliver and Bulk standing at Laura's locker. "Oh, Doctor Oliver, hello; what are you and Bulk doing here?"

Bulk said nothing and focused on cleaning the locker, but Dr. Oliver smiled, "Just supervising detention, Katherine," he said in an amused voice. "Mark, how are you doing? Are you feeling any better today?"

"Yes," Mark replied as he held to Kat's arm. "I'm trying to get Kat to take me to the Youth Center for a little snack and to meet up with David, but she won't go. She was even invited to watch Jason's class."

Katherine blushed, "Malcolm invited me, but I'm too tired from school," she lied nervously. "He's helping Jason with the class and wants me to come watch and take a walk with him afterwards."

"Kat, it's really okay to hang out with Malcolm," Doctor Oliver replied, well aware of the secret admiration that Malcolm had for Kat as they had discussed it during one of their counseling sessions.

Mark patted Katherine's arm, "Sis, I can't even see what Malcolm looks like and it's so obvious that you want to hang out with him," he said in a gentle voice. "When he invited you, you sounded happy."

"Oh, you," Katherine said in an affectionate voice as she hugged Mark. "We'll go together, okay?"

As Katherine led Mark off, Dr. Oliver looked at Bulk, "If you even think about bullying any more people for any reason, I will make sure you get detention for the rest of your high school career," he said in a voice that warned Bulk not to be anything but agreeable. "Have I made myself clear, Mister Bulkmeier?"

* * *

"Ah, that mentor of the Rangers is alone with a stupid civilian," Rito sneered, deeply amused as he watched Dr. Oliver continue to supervise Bulk. "That civilian is big, though; he could cause trouble."

Kimberly came over to the telescope and had a look when Rito offered her one, "Bulk's all muscle and no brains, Master Rito," she said in an amused voice. "Doctor Oliver is exactly what we need, however."

"That gem around his neck and his brains are exactly what is needed to summon forces evil enough to overthrow my controlling sister and her dork of a husband!" Rito cackled in an amused voice.

Kimberly grinned and then sighed, "I would be happy, Master, but am I doomed to spend a lifetime alone even though I am prettier than that spoiled brat Katherine?" she asked in a despairing voice.

"That desire will be addressed in time, Kimberly," Rito replied. "After we get Doctor Oliver."

Nodding, Kimberly stepped away from the telescope, "I apologize, Master, I am just very exhausted," she replied in a tired voice. "I have done my best to destroy those Power Rangers for you and…"

"Why don't you remain at the palace and rest?" Rito suggested in a coy voice even though he knew that he would not return and Kimberly would soon become a prisoner of whatever evil was en route.

Kimberly nodded and then suddenly pulled a large dagger from her pocket, "Did you honestly think I would let you abandon me?" she hissed in a vengeful voice as she touched the tip of the dagger to Rito's throat. "I had a feeling you would try this and I will not allow it. I summoned King Mondo to deal with you and he is on his way with the rest of his Empire. We must get Doctor Oliver NOW or lose out…"

"How did you even know about King Mondo?" Rito gasped in a horrified voice. "You couldn't know…"

There was a spark and Kimberly suddenly exploded, "I am already here, Mister Revolto," King Mondo said as he suddenly stepped out of the shadows. "My wife is taking care of Kimberly in the dungeons and I believe you mentioned something about a Doctor Oliver? I suggest you go and find him NOW."

Too stunned to speak, Rito promptly teleported out of the Moon Palace. King Mondo chuckled and turned his attention to the telescope; they had been on the moon for days, secretly kidnapped Kimberly, and replaced her with an android to fool Rito. Now that Rito knew, however, it was time to act and begin building an Empire that would do what Rita and Zedd could not; destroy those Power Rangers.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set by the time Billy woke again and he was surprised to see both Tanya and Aisha standing at his bedside as he sat up. Tanya handed him a tribal colored shirt, which he put on.

"I remember," Aisha suddenly spoke as she held out her closed hand. "I remember everything, Billy."

Billy frowned, but stayed quiet to let Aisha talk, "I remember being turned into a child by the Orb of Doom and I remember being sent here," she said as she opened her hand, revealing the triangle-shaped necklace that she had removed after regaining her memories. "I can't go back, though. I really can't."

"Why?" Billy asked in a quiet voice as he took the stone from her. "Even after all you remember; why?"

Aisha sighed, "My heart is here now," she replied softly. "This tribe is my family and I love them."

"What about your friends back in Angel Grove?" Billy asked worriedly. "What about Malcolm?"

Tanya gave Aisha an amused look, but Aisha sighed, "I can't do it," she replied softly. "I can't love him."

"I don't understand," Billy said in a confused voice. "You and Malcolm seemed to get along so well."

Aisha winced, "Yes, but he carries pain that I can't help him with," she replied. "I see it in his eyes."

"Running away isn't the answer, Aisha," Billy replied. "You should come back and help him."

Aisha smiled at Billy, "It's a pain I don't understand, so I can be of no help," she explained. "Besides, I am loved here and I feel that my place is here. Right before I came to you, Zordon came to me and…"

"Zordon came to you?" Billy asked, smiling at Aisha. "Did he know that you've decided to stay here?"

Aisha nodded, "He understands," she replied softly. "I do want you to take this necklace, though."

"Billy, I want to help you," Tanya spoke up in an intrigued voice. "Aisha told me everything."

Billy looked surprised as Tanya stood up and offered him her hand, "You don't know what the time travel will do to you," he protested as he slowly got to his feet. "It could age you horribly, Tanya."

"I understand," Tanya replied as she again offered her hand. "Let's get back to the present, Billy."

Aisha smiled as Billy took Tanya's hand, "I love you all," Aisha whispered as Billy and Tanya vanished.

* * *

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Rito asked in an amused voice as he appeared in the hallway where Dr. Oliver and Bulk were. "A chubby civilian and the prestigious Doctor Oliver with his gem!"

Bulk threw the rag in the bin, "Who are you callin chubby, you stack of bones?" he hissed angrily.

"Bulk, shut your mouth and let's get out of here," Dr. Oliver replied in an anxious voice, knowing full well what kind of damage Rito could do with that bone sword. "You won't be needing us today, Rito."

Rito cackled and waved his sword at Dr. Oliver, sending the teacher flying backwards into the wall. Bulk whimpered when Rito turned to him and saw a necklace around his neck that was just a black rock.

"So he gave you the gem!" Rito cackled to Bulk in an amused voice. "You may yet prove yourself useful!"

Ignoring the pain radiating throughout his body from being thrown into the wall, Dr. Oliver staggered forward and was horrified when Rito tapped Bulk with the bone sword, encasing Bulk in a block of ice.

"Mister Bulkmeier!" Dr. Oliver shouted, unaware that Miss Appleby was coming up behind him. "Please, Rito, let Mister Bulkmeier go! He's just a student who's serving a detention and can't help you!"

Suddenly, Dr. Oliver dropped to his knees and fought hard to keep from screaming; Rito had pointed the sword at him and he suddenly felt very lightheaded, plus his back and his shoulders hurt very badly.

"Bye bye!" Rito cackled as he kicked over the bucket and vanished with the iced Bulk in tow.

Deeply exhausted and relieved that the sword had never actually touched him, Dr. Oliver immediately sank to the floor. He suddenly felt gentle hands patting his cheek and immediately jerked away.

Swallowing hard, Dr. Oliver pulled himself into a sitting position and was immediately embarrassed to see that Ms. Appleby was standing over him, "Are you all right, Doctor Oliver?" she asked as he immediately winced in pain. "What on earth was that creepy thing that took that block of ice away?"

"I-I don't know," Dr. Oliver replied in a pained voice as he immediately doubled over. "Ohh…"

Ms. Appleby immediately knelt down next to him, "Do you want me to call an ambulance for you?" she asked in a worried voice, seeing the intense pain that the counselor was in. "What exactly happened?"

"I was overseeing Mister Bulkmeier's detention and that thing showed up," Dr. Oliver replied in a pained voice as he tried to keep himself from being sick all over the floor. "It threw me into the wall, encased Mister Bulkmeier in a block of ice, and then took him away. Oh man, we have to find him before…"

Dr. Oliver suddenly winced and groaned, "I think you'd better get looked over at the hospital," Ms. Appleby said in a gentle voice, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get up without help. "You should just stay there and try to relax while I go call an ambulance. I don't think I should drive you myself."

"I'm fine," Dr. Oliver whispered as he slowly got to his feet with a pained expression on his face. "I promised my nephew I'd meet him at the Youth Center to spar with him, but I might not spar today."

Ms. Appleby gave him a look, "Let me at least drive you over there," she replied in a gentle voice, immediately recognizing where Tommy got his stubbornness from. "You've had a rough day."

"Thank you," Dr. Oliver replied in a pained voice as he allowed Ms. Appleby to help him down the hall.

* * *

The Youth Center was busy when Tommy, David, and Laura walked into the main area. They could see that Jason and Malcolm were busy teaching Jason's beginner's class while Kat and Mark sat at a table close to the Juice Bar area. Mark was listening to an audio textbook while Kat silently watched Malcolm with an intrigued expression on her tired face.

Laura had borrowed a karategi from Tommy and because it was too big, she felt rather nervous as she approached the group that Jason and Malcolm were teaching. She would have left, but Tommy and David were right behind her and could catch her easily if she tried to let her fears dominate her future and make a run for it.

"Jason, I've got a new student for you," Tommy said in a loud, cheerful voice. "Laura wants to learn a bit about martial arts."

Jason grinned, whispered something to Malcolm, and came over to where Tommy, Laura, and David were standing, "So you want to learn some martial arts?" Jason asked in a gentle voice. "Do you want to show me any moves you already have?"

"I don't have a lot of moves," Laura lied, not wanting to show the moves she used on her parents' friends to fight them off.

Jason nodded and got into stance, "Well, I can teach you some katas," he replied in a reassuring voice. "Go ahead and try this."

"Like this?" Laura asked as she got into the exact same stance. Behind her, Tommy and David smiled at Jason approvingly.

Before Jason could reply, the ground suddenly began to shake and Rito appeared welding his bone sword. He grabbed Laura and intended to destroy her Power Coin, but Jason immediately pushed Rito away and Rito touched his Power Coin instead.

As Jason collapsed, the karate students all screamed and fled the building, as did Ernie. Malcolm, however, rushed over to Jason and gave Kat a look to stay back when she stood up. Rito cackled and struck Malcolm's Coin with his sword, breaking it in half.

"Jason, Malcolm!" Kat yelled anxiously as Malcolm collapsed next to Jason and didn't stir. "Rito, stop this evil scheme now!"

Rito cackled, deeply amused by what he had just done. Suddenly, Laura and Tommy were teleported out of the Youth Center and, enraged, Rito turned his focus to Katherine and Mark, "Ah, the prince and princess are unprotected!" he roared.

Determined to protect her brother, Katherine got in front of Mark, ready to fight Rito even if it meant sacrificing her life. Rito, however, was amused and promptly teleported away. As Katherine turned around, she was suddenly teleported out of the Youth Center.

* * *

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	30. A Time of Change, A Time of Sorrow

Tommy, Laura, and Katherine touched down in the Command Center, "Zordon, why didn't you teleport Jason and Malcolm here too?" Laura asked in an anxious voice. "Rito attacked them and they collapsed…"

"Yes, Laura, I am aware of the situation concerning Jason and Malcolm," Zordon replied, cutting her off. "I will explain my reasons in a minute, but we must first turn our attention to something else. Billy has returned from his quest with two Zeo Star pieces and a new friend."

Suddenly, Billy and a teenage Tanya walked out of the darkness and over to where Laura, Tommy, and Katherine stood, "I'm Tanya," Tanya said as she smiled at the three of them. "Aisha told me that you guys are Power Rangers, but your powers are all disappearing. Why is that?"

"That is why I have brought you here, Tommy and Laura," Zordon suddenly cut in. "Jason and Malcolm have lost their Ninja Powers."

Tommy looked horrified, "Was it the same way I lost mine for a while?" he asked worriedly. "When Rito touched me with his sword…"

"Yes, but the quest for the Zeo Star Pieces must continue," Zordon replied somberly. "There are two more pieces to be found and one of them is on Phaedos in the care of Dulcea and Ninjor. Tommy, you and Laura must go to Phaedos to retrieve it; you must also take Katherine."

At the mention of Dulcea, Katherine suddenly looked horrified, "I can't," she replied in an anxious voice. "Dulcea said I can never return."

"She said that so long as you are evil, you can never return," Tommy gently corrected her. "You're not under Rita's spell anymore, Katherine."

Swallowing hard, Katherine turned away from them and her eyes rested on Billy and Tanya, "Why can't you send Billy or Tanya with Tommy and Laura?" she asked in a terrified voice as she began to cry. "I have to go and take care of Mark; he doesn't like me being far away now that our parents are missing."

"Mark is fine," Zordon replied. "He is being taken care of by David Trueheart; Jason and Malcolm are also being taken care of at this time."

Laura and Tommy exchanged a look, "We're in," Tommy commented in a determined voice. "Kat, you should come with us to Phaedos."

Katherine remained silent and Laura gently put a hand on her shoulder, "Stop beating yourself up over something that was beyond your control," Laura said in a quiet voice. "After I got out of my situation, I had to learn that lesson the hard way and I wouldn't have learned it at all if people like Tommy, the other Power Rangers, Lieutenant Stone, and Doctor Oliver hadn't taken the time to care about me."

"All right, I'll go," Katherine replied as she turned to face Laura. "Tommy, shouldn't you contact your uncle and tell him where you're going?"

Tommy sighed, "Yeah, you're probably right," he replied. "I should go to his office and explain what I'm going to be doing. I'll be back soon."

Before Tommy could teleport out, however, a shrill alarm sounded, "Alpha, locate Doctor Oliver," Zordon said. "I sense something is wrong."

Alpha hurried over to the Viewing Globe, "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" he exclaimed. "Doctor Oliver was attacked and is at Angel Grove Hospital!"

"I have to go there," Tommy replied, suddenly realizing that he couldn't go to Phaedos with Laura and Kat. "I'm so sorry, Zordon."

Laura sighed and gave Tommy a look, "It's your uncle, Tommy," she said in a gentle voice. "You and David should go be with him."

"I hate deserting the team, though," Tommy replied in an anguished voice. "With Jason powerless, I'm kinda like the sole leader."

Billy sighed, but said nothing, "We'll have to manage on our own," Laura said in a determined voice. "We'll get help from Ninjor and Dulcea."

Tommy nodded and teleported out of the Command Center. Laura and Katherine looked at each other and then at Zordon. Billy and Tanya both remained silent as they knew their parts had been played and now it was a waiting game to see what would happen next.

* * *

Police tape, two ambulances, and a police car greeted Adam and Rocky as they rode up to the Youth Center in Rocky's truck.

Adam had spent more time at the hospital hoping that Skull would wake back up to do more homework, but a nurse had kicked him out and immediately sent for a doctor to run more tests on Skull. While he had been walking home, Adam had nearly been run over by Rocky, who was driving his truck around to see if anyone wanted to hang out that afternoon. Rocky had then offered Adam a ride to the Youth Center.

"Sorry boys, this area will be closed for the rest of the day," Lieutenant Stone said as he approached the vehicle. "Oh, it's you two."

Adam frowned, "What happened here, sir?" he asked in a timid, but very polite voice. "What's with all the emergency vehicles?"

"That Rito Revolto guy that was on the news some time back attacked the Youth Center," Lieutenant Stone replied in a worried voice as he leaned against the truck's open window. "Jason and Malcolm Lee Scott got hurt by that freak and paramedics are inside with them now."

Rocky looked upset, "Aw man," he said in an upset voice. "Are they gonna be okay?"

"I don't know, but I will get statements from them at the hospital once they are medically cleared," Lieutenant Stone replied in a concerned voice. "I have to head there soon anyway, as this Rito guy also attacked a Doctor Frank Oliver at Angel Grove High School earlier."

Adam's eyes widened, "Will he be all right?" he asked, worried that he would end up homeless if Dr. Oliver had been seriously injured.

"Why don't you boys head over there and find out for me?" Lieutenant Stone replied in a gentler voice, hating the fact that Rocky looked as if he had been hit on the head and Adam looked ready to cry. "I have to stick around until the scene is clear and I would appreciate the help."

Adam immediately nodded, "We'll do it," he replied in an anxious voice. "I hope Jason and Malcolm are okay."

Lieutenant Stone nodded and moved away from the window and Rocky immediately gave Adam a worried look.

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

"Yeah Zordon, I'm here," Adam whispered as he slouched and held up his Communicator. "What do you need?"

There was a crackle, "Adam, report to the Command Center immediately," Zordon replied. "This is an emergency."

Adam sighed and looked at Rocky, "Go see how Doctor Oliver is," he said in a determined voice. "Take care of him, okay?"

"I will," Rocky replied, knowing how much Adam was needed as a Power Ranger right now in light of current events.

As Adam teleported away, Rocky shifted into Reverse, backed into a turn, and then shifted into Drive; he carefully turned his truck around and drove off towards the hospital as fast as he could. Hopefully, Doctor Oliver, Jason, and Malcolm would all turn out to be all right.

* * *

"_Jason, can you hear me?"_

Jason opened his eyes and was surprised to find himself laying on something soft; he was even more surprised to see his father hovering over him in an AGFD uniform, "Just take it easy, Jason," Thomas replied in a gentle voice as he buckled some straps. "Just breathe slowly."

"What happened?" Jason asked weakly, wincing as he suddenly felt a headache come on. "Why does my head hurt, Dad?"

Thomas sighed and Jason suddenly felt a blanket being placed over him, "According to your students, some freaky thing made of bones came in here and attacked you and Malcolm," the elder Lee Scott explained softly. "Some other paramedics are taking care of Malcolm."

"I don't feel good," Jason whispered as he tried to look around. "Dad, where's Malcolm at? I need to see if he's really okay."

Thomas gently stroked Jason's hair to calm him and looked over to where two other paramedics were securing an unconscious Malcolm to another gurney and covering him with blankets to keep him warm. Malcolm was in worse shape than Jason, Thomas knew, but Jason didn't really need to hear that at the moment; there would be time to talk with Jason about Malcolm at the hospital once Jason had been cared for.

"Jason, my partner and I need to take you to the hospital now," Thomas said as he felt Jason tense up. "Just relax and trust me, okay?"

Jason sighed, knowing deep down that his father was hiding something about Malcolm's condition, "Okay," he whispered in a faint voice.

Thomas nodded and silently helped his partner wheel Jason's gurney out of the damaged Youth Center, silently hoping Malcolm would be okay.

* * *

Adam touched down in the Command Center and found Billy standing at the controls with an unfamiliar woman who was dressed in African tribal wear, "Zordon, you summoned me?" he asked in a nervous voice. "Jason and Malcolm were hurt and I don't know where the others are."

"I know about Jason and Malcolm already, Adam," Zordon replied gravely. "Tommy has gone to the hospital to be with his uncle and Laura is here with Katherine. I have called you here, Adam, because you must now go on a quest for a piece of the Zeo Star with them."

Adam looked confused, "The Zeo Star?" he asked in a confused voice. "Is the Zeo Star going to save our failing powers, Zordon?"

"Yes, but I will explain more about the Star later," Zordon replied. "For now, you, Laura, and Katherine must journey to Phaedos."

Laura and Katherine suddenly stepped out of the darker area of the Command Center, "Adam, we have to do this together," Laura explained in a calm voice as she put her hand on Adam's shoulder. "I don't know why it has to be us, but Zordon is sending us and I trust Zordon."

"It will just take a few moments to program the co-ordinates into the teleportation system," Alpha said. "Be patient and think calm thoughts."

* * *

The quiet of the Ninjetti Temple was a relief to Dulcea even now that she was completely alone in guarding its sacredness and powers.

Not long after she and Ninjor had bestowed the Ninja Powers on the seven who had come seeking help in unity, Ninjor had mysteriously disappeared without so much as a trace. The sky had thereafter darkened and torrential rain storms rocked Phaedos on a daily basis.

Dulcea had taken these storms with grace and humility, as storms were a part of life and would soon pass away with the never ending passage of time, or so she thought. When the storms became rougher and began to damage the Ninjetti Temple so much that only ruins remained, she knew that something had happened and that both the Ninja Powers and their keepers were in life-threatening danger from evil.

To calm herself, Dulcea spent time atop the pillars in the outer courtyard in meditation; she did not eat or drink, choosing to spend her time trying to connect to the animal spirits that she and Ninjor had bestowed on the seven teens. She had sensed the slow, yet painful destruction of each of their powers and also of the evil that was threatening Earth. Yet, with her limits, she was powerless to go to Earth and help them fight.

It was during one of these meditation sessions that the ground trembled so fiercely that Dulcea thought the ground would split open.

During the quake, she kept herself carefully balanced on a pillar and was shocked when a beam of light shot into the middle of the arena and quickly faded, revealing an unconscious Malcolm laying on the ground dressed in a white karategi and nothing else. Dulcea leapt off the pillar and hurried to Malcolm's side; it was then that she saw the split Orange Tiger Ninjetti Coin in his hand. His powers and life were fading fast.

* * *

"…WHAT DO YOU MEAN MALCOLM DISAPPEARED?!" Tommy heard the very angry voice of Thomas Lee Scott yell across the emergency room.

For a moment, Tommy did nothing and then he turned to see Jason's father in a very heated argument with a couple of nervous-looking paramedics who had an empty gurney beside them, "It's bad enough that Jason was attacked and has to be in the hospital for a few days, but to lose Malcolm is inexcusable!" Thomas ranted in an anxious voice as he fought to keep from crying. "I'm sorry for yelling, but I…"

Tommy quickly turned away and was relieved to see Miss Appleby and a nurse coming down the hallway with his exhausted looking uncle, who was walking slowly beside them with no help, "How are you feeling, Uncle Frank?" Tommy asked, ignoring the amused look from Ms. Appleby.

"I'm a little sore, but I'm okay," Frank replied in a tired voice. "Ms. Appleby was kind enough to drive me to the hospital and wait with me."

Tommy smiled at Ms. Appleby, but noticed the anxious expression on his uncle's face, "I don't know what I'm going to tell the school board or Mister Bulkmeier's parents," Frank commented anxiously. "I couldn't do anything to help him because I was thrown into the wall and I…"

"Bulk's missing?" Tommy asked, suddenly realizing that Rito had taken Bulk to use as some sort of monster. "I didn't know that."

Ms. Appleby nodded and Tommy sighed, "Jason and Malcolm were attacked at the Youth Center just a little while ago and Malcolm disappeared from the ambulance somehow," he explained in a somber voice. "Jason's somewhere in the hospital and I was thinking…"

"Jason will be fine," a tired voice suddenly spoke from behind a pulled curtain. "Is that you, Tommy?"

Thomas, who had been calmed by his paramedic buddies, suddenly came over to the curtain and pulled it open. Jason was laying on a gurney with a hospital gown and a blanket covering his body. His karate clothes were folded and on a chair next to the bed and he looked beat.

"Jason," Tommy said as he walked over to his friend. "I heard you were attacked. Are you going to be all right?"

Jason smiled, but immediately sighed, "I'll be fine as soon as they let me out of here," he replied. "I hate hospitals."

"Jason, just settle down and don't try running off," Thomas replied, smiling at his stubborn son. "Why don't you just let them give you some fluids and rest for a few hours? I have to call your mother about this before she hears it on the news and resting would be good for you."

Jason's smile faded, "Dad, I heard you yelling at those paramedics," he said in a quiet voice. "Is Malcolm really missing?"

Thomas silently groaned, but nodded, "He disappeared from the ambulance on the way to the hospital," he replied softly, mentally kicking himself as tears formed in Jason's tired eyes. "Jason, please don't cry. The police are all out searching and we have to have hope."

"After I get my uncle settled at home, I'll go out looking for Malcolm too," Tommy promised. "Maybe you should rest for now, Jason."

Jason nodded and immediately closed his eyes, allowing himself to cry as he slept, "Tommy, you're best to let the police do their jobs," Frank said in a tired voice as he, Tommy, and Ms. Appleby walked away from Jason and his father. "I'd rather you be home today, where it's safe."

"I'll give you both a ride home," Ms. Appleby offered in a gentle voice. She was feeling sympathetic about all that had happened that day.

* * *

Torrential rain poured from the angry skies as Adam, Katherine, and Laura touched down on the rocky surface of Phaedos and saw hordes of damaged trees, dead greenery, and muddy paths instead of the beautiful planet they remembered. Katherine immediately began to cry.

"Katherine, stop!" Laura said in a commanding voice as she gazed at the upset Katherine. "Standing there crying will not help us at all!"

Katherine sniffled, but stopped, "What are you doing here?" a fierce voice suddenly said. "I thought I banished you from Phaedos!"

Dulcea suddenly came out from a split stone that was next to the path that led to the Temple, "You, Katherine, were banished from Phaedos after you brought harm to Aisha," she said in a fierce voice as she broke her staff in two. "Why have you brought her here, Laura and Adam?"

"You said that Katherine was banished as long as she was evil," Adam replied nervously. "Katherine is no longer under Rita's evil spell."

Dulcea glared at Katherine and suddenly noticed the tears in her eyes, "Why do you cry, Katherine?" she asked in a slightly softer voice.

"Phaedos is ruined and seeing it is the price I pay for my evil," Katherine replied, her thoughts suddenly travelling to whether or not Mark was okay with all that had happened recently. "My brother, Mark, has also paid his price because he can no longer see the light of day."

Dulcea looked confused, "You mean Zedison, son of Zedd, is no more?" she asked, knowing that there had been a Zedison at one time.

"Ivan Ooze put him under a spell of submission and then tortured him," Katherine replied somberly. "The torture left Mark a blind mortal."

For a moment, Dulcea was silent and then put her staff back together, "I am sorry for what you and your brother have suffered, Katherine," she said in a more sincere voice. "However, Phaedos is in ruins and Ninjor is not here to help you. Why, then, do you come to Phaedos again?"

"We seek another piece of the Zeo Star," Laura spoke up in a brave voice. "Our Ninja Powers are being slowly destroyed and…"

Dulcea nodded, "I know of your powers failing," she replied. "You three must come to the Ninjetti Temple with me immediately."

Even though they were unsure as to why, Adam, Katherine, and Laura silently followed Dulcea down the path leading to the Ninjetti Temple.

* * *

King Mondo stared expressionlessly at the person encased in the block of ice that was before him, "What do you expect me to do with this?" he asked, glaring at Rito. "I specifically ordered that you get Doctor Oliver, his gem, and his brains so that I could revive my Machine Empire."

"Doctor Oliver gave his necklace to this boy," Rito replied anxiously as he gestured to the frozen Bulk. "Once he is thawed out, we can use it!"

King Mondo chuckled and turned away from Rito, "Perhaps you are right!" he said in a regal voice. "For now, I can use the weapon that my Archerina is preparing for barter to gain galactic allies! The human we have is so brainwashed that she will do anything for anyone!"

"What of Princess Katherine and Prince Zedison?" Rito asked in a nervous voice. "They have hidden powers that will serve useful to you!"

King Mondo hissed, "Not at this time!" he roared furiously. "Besides, Katherine has turned to supporting the Power Rangers and I do not wish to use a blind boy to carry out my conquest, even if he was ONCE a prince of evil! I must have evil allies who are able to see their enemies!"

"What about finding Goldar and Scorpina, then?" Rito asked, suddenly realizing that he hadn't seen them in a while. "They could serve you."

For a moment, King Mondo was silent and then cackled, "When Kimberly is ready, we shall use her to find them," he declared commandingly.

* * *

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

Tommy immediately placed a hand over his communicator, as he didn't want the noise to wake his over-exhausted uncle, but the doorbell suddenly rang. Silently praying that his uncle would stay in bed and rest, Tommy got up from the common room couch and hurried to the front door. He was surprised to find Rocky on the doorstep and Rocky's truck parked in front of the house.

"I went to the hospital, but they said your uncle had been released," Rocky said in a worried voice. "Is your uncle okay?"

There were footsteps and Tommy was surprised to see his uncle come up beside him, "I'm fine, Mister DeSantos," Dr. Oliver replied in a pleasant voice as he stepped aside to let Rocky come in. "Tommy, I think you'd better answer your communicator. Rocky, do come in."

Rocky hurried inside and Dr. Oliver slowly closed the door, "Zordon, what's up?" Tommy asked as he held his communicator to his mouth.

"Tommy, Zordon wants you and Rocky to come to the Command Center right away," Alpha replied anxiously. "You must hurry!"

Rocky immediately looked confused, "Why would Zordon want to see me?" he asked worriedly. "I'm not a Power Ranger."

"It's better not to ask why, just go see what Zordon needs," Dr. Oliver replied quietly. "Be safe out there, both of you."

Tommy offered his hand to Rocky, "I'll teleport us both there," he said, smiling as Rocky took his hand. "Feel better, Uncle Frank."

As Tommy and Rocky teleported away, Dr. Oliver sighed and, rubbing his gem necklace with a shaking hand, he slowly made his way into his office to meditate quietly.

* * *

Tommy and Rocky quickly touched down in the Command Center and were surprised to see a tired-looking Jason in his karate clothes and talking quietly with Alpha and Tanya, "Jason, I thought you were in the hospital?" Tommy asked as he and Rocky approached them.

"While my dad was off phoning my mom, I went to the bathroom and changed clothes," Jason replied tiredly. "Nobody knows I'm gone."

Rocky immediately looked to Zordon, "Zordon, I don't understand why you wanted to see me?" he asked. "I'm not a Power Ranger."

"As I have already told Jason, Malcolm has sent himself to Phaedos by the power of his own heart and is now dying because Rito destroyed his Power Coin," Zordon explained somberly. "Only by the full power of the Zeo Star can Malcolm have a chance at surviving."

Tommy frowned, "We don't have all the pieces yet, though," he replied. "We still need two more pieces to complete the Zeo Star."

"Billy's a Ranger, why doesn't he go with Jason and Tommy?" Rocky asked worriedly. "Where is Billy, anyway? He should be here."

Alpha sighed, "Because Billy was affected by the Orb of Doom, he is unable to return to Phaedos or else he will revert to his aged state," he explained in a worried voice. "Although we don't have all the pieces of the Zeo Star, Zordon believes that sending you four to Phaedos, the power of seven will be enough to save Malcolm's life. Hopefully, when Malcolm's life is saved, we will know how to find the other pieces."

"Four?" Jason asked in a confused voice. "Alpha, Zordon, I thought you said that Billy wasn't able to return to Phaedos?"

Tanya suddenly smiled and cleared her throat, "I'll be coming with you guys," she replied softly. "Zordon thinks I can be of help."

"Jason, Rocky, Tommy, and Tanya, the quest that lies before you is a dangerous one," Zordon said. "May the Power protect you all."

Alpha pressed a button, "The co-ordinates are set," he said in an anxious voice. "Join hands so that you don't end up separated."

Jason, Tommy, Rocky, and Tanya quickly joined hands, "You should meet up with the others already there," Alpha stated. "Ready?"

As Jason, Tommy, Rocky, and Tanya were teleported out of the Command Center, Billy came out of the Chamber of Light where he had chosen to wait while the others were given their mission. He had heard what Zordon and Alpha had said about him not being able to go back to Phaedos and help Malcolm, but not about the aging. The insinuation that he was too weak to be a Ranger over Rocky and Tanya was hurtful and Billy had decided that he wanted no further involvement.

"Billy, I am sorry that you were unable to go to Phaedos to help Malcolm," Zordon commented, seeing the upset expression on Billy's face. "I know you wanted to."

Billy was silent for a moment and then nodded, "I think I'm going to go for a walk to clear my head," he said in a toneless voice. "I'll see you two later on, okay?"

Not surprised when Alpha and Zordon said nothing, Billy silently left the Command Center and walked through down the mountain; he was sick of being the brainy geek that he had always been and he knew that he needed to step down. The Rangers didn't need him anymore, he silently reasoned; they had others to help them.

Billy sighed and caressed the Wolf Coin that was around his neck as he reached the bottom of the mountain. He could feel power from it surge into his tired body, yet he had no desire to fight for his right to save the world. Thoughts of how long it would be before Zordon took his Coin away filled his already bitter mind.

A better thought suddenly entered Billy's mind as he remembered another who was no longer a Ranger despite having the potential to be; he would find Zack and convince him that they should go to Africa. There was really no reason to go to Africa except that Aisha was there and strangely, she would be a comfort to them.

_Zack and Aisha get it. _Billy thought as he ripped his Communicator from his wrist and set it at the base of the mountain. _They get having the Power taken away._

Anger surged through Billy's heart as he walked down the path back towards Angel Grove; he would someday find the strength to confront Alpha, Zordon, Jason, Tommy, Tanya, Malcolm, Laura, and Katherine. They had never really tried to save Kimberly after she had gone missing and they would probably forget about him. He had secretly carried a torch for Kimberly, even when she was dating Tommy, and Billy knew that he could share that with Zack; Zack had never judged him or said that he wasn't strong enough to help others when they needed help.

As he walked, Billy knew that being graduated from high school had its perks and it wouldn't take very much to convince his father to let him go to Africa to figure out what he wanted to do.

* * *

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	31. Revival of Hopes and Troubles

Tommy, Jason, Rocky, and Tanya touched down on top of the outdoor pillars of the Ninjetti Temple and were shocked to see Dulcea, Laura, Adam, and Katherine gathered in the center of the arena around Malcolm, who was unconscious and deathly pale.

Silently hoping that it wasn't too late to help, the four jumped off the pillars and joined the others. Dulcea silently looked at all seven of them before looking at Malcolm.

"You seven have been sent here to help Malcolm as he struggles to keep his life," Dulcea explained in a commanding voice. "As you may or may not be aware, Malcolm is a very unique young man whose ability to hold extraordinary powers is connected to his life force. Since Rito Revolto destroyed the Orange Tiger Power Coin, Malcolm's life is slowly fading away and you seven must work together if you are to save him."

Rocky and Tanya looked at each other and then at Dulcea, "We're not Power Rangers, though," Rocky replied. "How can we help Malcolm?"

"Our experiences of loss and heartache," Tanya suddenly spoke in a voice of intrigue. "We all carry hidden pain inside each of us."

Dulcea looked at Tanya, "Aisha told me that Malcolm carries a hidden pain inside himself," she explained. "She told me that she wasn't able to care for him like he wanted her to because she didn't understand the pain he carried. I don't understand what pain Malcolm carries, though."

"Malcolm's parents were killed in a car crash last summer that left Malcolm injured," Jason explained, remembering how far Malcolm had come since then only because of the family he had left and his new friends. "He was also kidnapped by Rita and Zedd a while back and forced to make some pretty tough decisions while putting his life at risk to be a Power Ranger. I thought he had settled his demons a long time ago, though."

Tommy sighed, "Nobody really makes peace with their demons," he commented. "They only become unafraid to acknowledge them."

"Tommy's right," Laura chimed in softly. "Just because I admitted that I come from an abusive household and that I have a little sister that I left behind does not mean that I'm at peace with it. I'm working on loving myself, but my memories are still there and sometimes haunt me."

Adam suddenly looked very ashamed and looked at the ground; he had been pretending his issues had just simply faded away.

"Every one of you carries demons, but you also have within you spirit animals that bring forth a quality that Malcolm needs to lead him safely from his inner prison," Dulcea stated in a calm voice. "Your Coins are gone, but the powers still reside within your hearts."

Nobody spoke, so Dulcea sighed, "Rocky, Katherine, and Tanya, you may not be Power Rangers, but you are also important to this quest and the future of the Power Rangers," she said as she smiled at Rocky and Tanya. "Rocky, your animal spirit is the Ape; you possess a strong intuition and great inner wisdom that is far beyond your years. Tanya, you who have come from a foreign time and land out of faith, you have the animal spirit of the Raven, as you are full of mystery that will bless those around you as time goes on and you adjust to your new life."

Katherine suddenly frowned, "Katherine, your animal spirit is the Swan because of your natural elegance and nurturing personality," Dulcea said in a gentle voice, well aware that Katherine was nervous. "You must all take courage and your spirits will help you save Malcolm's life."

"How can we help him?" Jason asked, wondering if there was anything they could actually do. "I don't mean to doubt, I'm just scared."

Dulcea nodded, "You will each be sent to a place in Malcolm's memory that haunts him," she explained. "There are seven memories."

Blackness suddenly fell over the seven and they each realized that there was now nothing to guide them but their animal spirits.

* * *

The fog-filled floor and windows with spiderweb bars on the windows were very familiar to Jason as he opened his eyes and immediately recognized the Dark Dimension. He immediately saw a fatigued looking Malcolm sitting on the floor in the corner of the endless room with his head on his knees, trying desperately to slow his breathing. Jason suddenly realized that the room was ice-cold and it was hard to breathe.

"Malcolm?" Jason asked as he slowly walked over to where his cousin sat, trying to relax. "Malcolm, it's Jason. I've come to help you."

Malcolm lifted his head and Jason could see that his face was badly bruised, "Did Goldar do that to you?" he asked in a worried voice.

"Zedison did," Malcolm replied in a trembling, faint voice. "He beat me up and told me that in a past life, we were brothers."

Jason's eyes widened, "Brothers?" he asked in a shocked voice. "That would explain why you look a lot like him, but…"

"Jason, I don't want to remember him telling me that," Malcolm replied in an anxious voice. "I don't want to remember that, but I can't forget that and I can't forget that he said he didn't want it either. I don't want to remember that, but does the family I have really love me?"

Jason frowned and he knelt down next to Malcolm, "I know your parents adopted me, but they just see me as their orphaned nephew who they had to take into their home," Malcolm said in a faint voice. "I don't feel like I'm valuable to your parents; I still feel like an orphan, Jason."

"When the paramedics came to the hospital and told my dad that you disappeared, he went ballistic right in the emergency room," Jason explained, knowing that he had to talk fast while Malcolm had the time. "He only gets upset like that when something bad happens to people he loves dearly. When my sister died, my dad went to the gym early every morning so he wouldn't have to be angry around my mom and I because my mom was recovering from a hysterectomy. Do you want to know what he did when he found out that both of your parents died?"

Malcolm shrugged and sighed, "Sure," he replied, remembering that he had gotten some of his old things from Jason's parents a while back.

"My dad actually took the day off from work and drove out to Crystal Valley," Jason explained, remembering what his father had confided in him not long after the accident. "He went to your dad's dojo and spent the day there gathering things together for you."

For a moment, Malcolm was silent and then sighed, "We never held a funeral for my parents," he whispered. "I never got to let them go."

"Would some sort of memorial service help you to be able to let the pain go?" Jason asked in a soft voice, suddenly realizing that Malcolm hadn't been mentioning his parents or referring to them much lately. "I'm really, really sorry that we've never got around to it."

Malcolm nodded, "It's okay," he replied in a faint voice. "Jason, please, I'm so cold here. Please help me be at peace."

Nodding, Jason gently put his arms around Malcolm and pulled him into a hug, "I will," he said in a calm voice. "Just hang on to your spirit."

* * *

She was back on Phaedos; back on the rocky surface where she had helped the Tengu hurt the Power Rangers.

Katherine suddenly heard yelling in the water and, remembering that Malcolm had been thrown off the cliff by the Tengu when the Rangers had visited Phaedos, she stared down at the water below. Her fear of heights was stopping her from actually diving off the cliff.

"Please, someone, don't leave me here!" Katherine suddenly heard Malcolm yell anxiously. "I can't really swim that well!"

Swallowing hard, Katherine ran forward and executed a perfect swan dive off the cliff. She landed in the water quickly and swam over to where Malcolm was struggling to remain afloat and was also crying at losing Aisha; guilt suddenly filled Katherine's remorseful heart.

"Katherine?" Malcolm sputtered as he struggled to remain afloat. "What are you doing here? I didn't think you could come back to this…"

Katherine immediately put her arms under Malcolm's armpits, "We'll talk when we're out of the water," she replied in a soft voice.

"I can't," Malcolm replied in a pained voice as he struggled to move his legs. "Aisha's gone, my parents are gone; just let me drown."

Katherine sighed, "I understand that you've lost a lot and I know what that feels like," she replied. "My parents are currently missing."

"I didn't know that," Malcolm replied in a sympathetic tone. "I didn't think anyone understood what losing loved ones was really like."

Katherine nodded, released him, and swam around to face him, "Even if my parents aren't alive anymore, I still remember their love and I also remember that I have the love of my brother and all my dear friends. I don't let the past hold me back from making a future, either."

"I never blamed you for what happened to Aisha," Malcolm replied softly. "I blamed myself for not being able to do anything to save her."

Katherine gently placed her hand on his face, "Would it help if I killed myself so that the one who hurt Aisha got her due?" she asked in a voice that made Malcolm wonder if she was being serious. "Why are you trying to kill yourself for something you weren't responsible for?"

"Katherine, I don't want you to kill yourself!" Malcolm exclaimed as he began to shiver. "You weren't responsible for any of what happened."

Katherine smiled and gently stroked his cheek, "I'm not going to, silly," she replied gently. "You shouldn't want to either, Malcolm."

"Please, don't let go of me," Malcolm whispered as he raised a hand and put it over hers. "I need peace from this."

Katherine leaned in close, "When you're well enough, I'm teaching you how to swim," she replied in an amused voice.

"I look forward to it," Malcolm replied in a whispery voice as he rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm so tired."

* * *

_"I have a coin for you that will grant one wish to you that must come true. Anything you want can be yours, Malcolm."_

_"DON'T DO IT!" Tommy yelled as he came out and ran towards Rita. "Don't trust her, Malcolm! She's an evil sorceress!"_

_Rita growled and quickly zapped Tommy with her staff, sending him to the ground unconscious. Before she could speak, however, Jason, Kimberly, Trini, and Billy materialized in their Power Ranger suits. They saw Rita and the Black Knight surrounding Malcolm._

_"What do you say to my offer, Malcolm?" Rita asked as she extended the coin towards him. "You can wish for anything you want."_

_Malcolm swallowed hard, "I don't want it," he said in an uncertain voice as he glared at Rita. "I don't want one wish."_

_Rita roared and zapped Tommy, "If you don't take the coin and make a wish, I'll kill Tommy," she threatened. "I mean it!"_

_Malcolm mustered all the courage he could and held out his hand, "All right," he said in a nervous voice. "I'll take the coin if you don't hurt the Rangers at all."_

_"Good choice, Malcolm," Rita said as she stepped forward and forced the coin into Malcolm's hand. "Now make a wish."_

"I should have never taken that Coin," Tommy heard Malcolm say as the scene faded and the Chamber of Light in the Command Center suddenly appeared. Alpha was hovering over an unconscious, barely breathing Tommy while Zordon gave instructions from nearby a modified time warp tube. "You didn't know I was there for a while, did you, Tommy? I had put some of my life energy into that coin that Rita gave me."

Tommy looked surprised, "I didn't know you stayed at the Command Center to make sure I would be okay," he replied in a shocked voice.

"Alpha eventually convinced me to go upstairs and rest on the cot, but I stayed at the Command Center for as long as I could," Malcolm explained in a soft voice. "I was so worried that Rita's coin was a trick and I had just signed your death warrant; I had to stay."

For a moment, Tommy was silent and then he looked at Malcolm, "What if Rita's coin had been a trick and I either ended up dying or being placed under an evil spell because of it?" he asked in a curious voice. "Did you know that I was once under an evil spell of Rita's?"

"No, I didn't," Malcolm replied softly. "If the coin had killed you, I don't know if I would ever been able to forgive myself for killing you."

Tommy sighed, "You're already doing a good job of not forgiving yourself for things that weren't even your fault, Malcolm," he stated. "It took a heck of a lot of courage to take that coin even if it was going to hurt you. These memories are hurting your courage to move forward."

Malcolm was silent as Tommy offered his hand, "If you just hang in there, we'll all help you," Tommy promised. "Just hang in there."

Swallowing hard, Malcolm took Tommy's hand and silently looked at the floor, "I'm trying," he whispered. "I'm really trying.

* * *

_"So, now that you're out of the chair, ninja boy, do you wanna show me what you're made of?" Bulk hissed as he backed Malcolm into a wall._

_"Bulk, let me help you welcome the new kid!" Skull shouted in an eager voice as he ran over to where Bulk and Malcolm were. Bulk and Skull pinned Malcolm against a wall so tightly that Malcolm couldn't move. Suddenly, Bulk and Skull went transparent, but Malcolm remained still._

"It's a relief to know that Bulk and Skull didn't single me out," Laura commented as she approached Malcolm. "They were bullies to both of us."

Malcolm nodded, but remained where he was, "At least I didn't try to fight back," he replied softly. "They were beyond my limits."

"Oh, Bulk's just a big coward," Laura replied in an amused voice as she put her hand through the transparent teens. "I shouldn't have tried to beat Bulk up, though. I allowed anger that I didn't deal with to get the better of me and I ended up doing a daytime detention as a result."

Laura suddenly laughed, "Oh, Malcolm, I'm honestly not a tough person," she stated in an amused voice. "Like you, I'm very vulnerable to my past and I have a problem with letting it dominate me. I lost my whole family due to things beyond my control, you know, but there wasn't a lot of love lost. Ashley depended on me because she had nobody else, yes, but we were afraid to love each other because of our circumstances."

"Circumstances shouldn't define a person's ability to love, Laura," Malcolm replied. "My parents died, but I didn't lose that ability."

Laura sighed, "If you trap yourself in these memories, you can't love yourself," she stated. "Self-haters can't really give love to others."

"Did Doctor Oliver teach you that?" Malcolm asked, surprised when Laura smiled and offered her hand. "All right, I'll let you help me."

Laura remained silent as Malcolm took her hand, only letting out a sigh of relief that her part in Malcolm's rescue had been successful.

* * *

Tanya gasped as she realized where she was; she was in a small hospital room and a battered version of Malcolm was lying in the hospital bed with injuries that looked very serious. She could also see Jason, Billy, and a police officer in the room; all of them were talking softly.

Lt. Stone sighed, "I'm very sorry to say that we also found the remains of two bodies," he said in a solemn voice. "The remains were examined and identified as Tyler and Karen Lee Scott. I'm so sorry."

"I've tried to block this memory from my mind," Malcolm replied as he came up beside her. "Losing my parents almost destroyed me."

Tanya nodded, "I'm Tanya, by the way," she commented in a gentle voice. "I understand how hard it is to lose ones that you love."

"It wasn't just my parents, it was a girl that I was starting to like," Malcolm replied, suddenly feeling as if he could tell Tanya about Aisha.

Tanya smiled, "I've met Aisha," she stated, causing Malcolm to look at her in shock. "She said that you have pain that she can't understand, so she can't love you. I feel like you're not letting yourself be loved by anyone right now and I really don't know why; because you're an orphan?"

"People at school think I'm a freak and Jason's parents think I'm delicate," Malcolm replied. "That doesn't sound like love to me."

Tanya looked amused, "Well, you have a right to be different, but why do you think you're a freak?" she asked in a firm voice.

"I guess I'm not," Malcolm replied, suddenly understanding what Tanya was getting at. "I'm just a different person; that's not bad."

Tanya smiled and gently patted Malcolm on the back, "Just so you know, I lost my parents a long time ago," she replied in a soft voice as she held her new friend in a gentle hug. "Now, if you could wake up, you can get to know all of us better than you do now."

* * *

_"…What if you get selected to go to the Peace Conference?" Rocky asked. "I know you signed up for an interview and Jason did too. If you go to Switzerland, how can you get a job in Angel Grove?"_

_The calm look on Malcolm's face suddenly melted into a frown, "I won't be going to Switzerland and I don't even have a shot at it anymore," he replied in a solemn voice as he looked at the floor. "The interviewers were given information about the students who signed up to help them decide who would be best at attending the Peace Conference. When they read the information on me, I guess the fact that I was recently orphaned because of a car crash disturbed them and I got a letter from them about their concerns while I was out sick; they thanked me for my interest, but had to refuse me an interview."_

"You know, I ignored all the name calling and teasing from you, but this was much worse," Rocky heard a gentle voice speak behind him.

Rocky turned and saw Malcolm, who was dressed in the same outfit he wore for the demonstration they had done that same day, standing there with an agitated expression on his pale face, "The spirit of adventure that I had gained from becoming a Power Ranger almost died when I was told that I wasn't a suitable candidate for the Peace Conference," Malcolm explained. "My spirit was almost killed that day, Rocky."

"If you had actually gone to the Peace Conference, you would have been killed just like Trini was," Rocky stated, remembering how Trini had been stabbed while they were at the Peace Conference and had only made it back to Angel Grove by pure luck. "Zack and I were scared out of our minds that Trini was dying, but she died with her friends by her side. Malcolm, I don't want to lose another friend to death like I lost Trini."

Malcolm's eyes widened, "I'm dying?" he asked in a shocked voice. "I thought Rito had just taken my powers from me for good."

Adam suddenly appeared beside Rocky, "Dulcea said that your powers are connected to your life," Adam explained in a worried voice, having been prompted by his inner animal spirit to help now instead of later on. "You have to look beyond your powers and your memories for the will to live even if you are not a Power Ranger. You have family and friends that love you; don't let your memories destroy your will to live."

"Dulcea?" Malcolm asked, suddenly realizing that he must have somehow left Angel Grove. "How did I end up back on Phaedos?"

Rocky shrugged, "Dulcea said that you were brought here by the power of your heart," he explained. "Your heart is tired, it seems."

"Yes, I guess it is," Malcolm replied in a hollow voice. "I miss my home and I miss my family. How can I go back to Angel Grove?"

Rocky and Adam suddenly faded from view, "_Let your heart take you home,_" a gentle voice suddenly spoke in a commanding tone as Malcolm suddenly began to feel very tired.

* * *

Night had fallen and for David, it was the end of one of the hardest times of his life; his adoptive father, Sam Trueheart, had been sick for many weeks and had passed away just as the sun disappeared from view.

David hadn't been there himself when it had happened; he had been helping Mark evacuate from the Youth Center after Jason and Malcolm had been attacked. They had been driving around Angel Grove and David had gotten the call on his emergency cell-phone from one of the reservation council members. Mark had cried about it and David had uttered a silent prayer.

Now, after wondering what he, Mark, and Katherine were going to do for a home since Sam was the only reason they had stayed on the reservation, David had parked his truck in front of Dr. Oliver's house, "Mark, I'm going to see if Doctor Oliver is home," David said in a gentle voice as he looked over at Mark and realized that Mark had fallen asleep. He smiled and quietly got out of his truck to let Mark rest.

"Who's there?" an anxious voice suddenly asked as the front door opened and light flooded outside. "David, is that you out there?"

David smiled as he saw Dr. Oliver come out of the house, "David, in case you didn't know this, there's a temporary curfew on anyone under 18 in Angel Grove until Malcolm Lee Scott is found," Dr. Oliver stated. "Why aren't you and Mark on the reservation right now, anyway?"

"Sam Trueheart died tonight," David replied in a somber tone. "With him gone, Kat and Mark can't stay on the reservation anymore and I'm not going to abandon them now. I was wondering if you knew of any community supports that would help me to be able to help them out."

Dr. Oliver sighed, "Why don't you and Mark just crash here tonight and tomorrow, I'll see what I can do?" he suggested in a kind voice. "Nobody but me is home right now; I think Adam, Laura, and Tommy lost track of time and somehow dodged the town curfew."

David nodded and then his eyes suddenly went wide, "Your arrowhead necklace is glowing," he said in a shocked voice. "Why?"

"I don't know," Dr. Oliver lied, even though he knew that the Rangers must have succeeded in their quest to save Malcolm's life. "It's a very extraordinary healing necklace and I don't completely understand it. Anyway, do you need my help getting Mark out of the car, David?"

David looked confused at the sudden change of subject, but let it drop and allowed Dr. Oliver to come out to the truck with him to fetch Mark and get him safely inside.

Dr. Oliver was immensely relieved that David hadn't commented any further about the glowing arrowhead, as the arrowhead had been entrusted to him long ago with the promise that it would glow when the time came for it to be called upon.

* * *

Taking great care not to attract attention to himself, Jason, who had teleported back to the hospital after they had been sent back to Earth by Dulcea, gently dropped his karate clothes into the chair and climbed back into the hospital bed back in the hospital gown. As he lay back and pretended to be lost in thought, the curtain opened and his mother immediately gave him a gentle hug, which Jason immediately returned.

"Jason, I have wonderful news," Helen said in a gentle voice as she released him. "The police found Malcolm and are bringing him here now."

Jason smiled, but before he could speak, he saw his father come into the emergency room followed by Lt. Stone, who was pushing a tired looking Malcolm, who was covered in a blanket under his karate clothes, in a hospital wheelchair, "Hey," Jason said, smiling at Malcolm.

"Hey," Malcolm replied in a voice barely above a whisper. "Dad and Lieutenant Stone said I was unconscious in the park."

Jason nodded, "Can we just go home?" he asked in a tired voice. "Malcolm and I should get some rest before school tomorrow."

"You should really stay here and get checked over," Lieutenant Stone protested, thinking Jason and Malcolm were just trying to be brave.

Malcolm shook his head, "I just want to be at home with my family tonight," he replied in a tired voice. "I'm tired of being alone."

Thomas smiled and gently patted Malcolm's shoulders, "Of course we'll take you and Jason home," he stated in a firm voice. "Jason, why don't you get dressed and we'll go home?" he suggested in a gentle voice. "Helen, why don't we give the boys privacy while we get the car?"

Helen nodded and gave Malcolm a quick hug before she left with her husband, "I must say, Malcolm, you gave your family and everyone else in Angel Grove quite the scare when you disappeared from the ambulance. How on earth did you end up in the park with no injuries, though?"

Before Malcolm, who didn't quite know what to say because he had unconsciously sent himself to Phaedos and back to Angel Grove again, could figure out a reply, a nurse hurried over to Lieutenant Stone and whispered in his ear. Lieutenant Stone frowned and followed her away.

"Thanks for not giving up on me, Jason," Malcolm replied in a soft voice. "I would have died had it not been for you guys helping me…"

Jason nodded and grabbed his clothes, "Pull the curtain so I can get dressed," he replied softly. "We'll talk more at home, okay?"

Malcolm nodded and slowly pulled the curtain to give Jason privacy; it was better to talk about their experiences later when they were alone.

* * *

Tommy, Laura, Adam, Tanya Katherine, and Rocky touched down in the Command Center and Katherine immediately found that the piece of the Zeo Star given to her by Dulcea was still in the palm of her hand, "Rangers, welcome back," Zordon replied in a fatherly tone.

Alpha suddenly came over from the Viewing Globe, "Malcolm is safe and being cared for by Jason and their parents," he reported in an enthusiastic voice as he held out Billy's Communicator. "Unfortunately, Billy has decided that he no longer wants to help us."

"Why would Billy just leave without an explanation?" Tanya asked in a worried voice. "He was so enthusiastic to have my help."

Zordon sighed, "I do not know, Tanya," he replied somberly. "However, we now have six pieces of the Zeo Star and the seventh will soon be within reach. When the Zeo Star is complete, we will be able to defend the Earth against King Mondo and the Machine Empire."

"How powerful is this King Mondo?" Adam asked in a worried voice. "How exactly is a star going to help us defeat these new villains?"

Alpha sighed and took the Star piece from Katherine, "For now, Rangers, all you can do is ensure that you are at peak physical and mental fitness so that you can receive the powers of the Zeo Star when the time comes to assemble it," he explained. "We know where the seventh piece is, but the time is not yet right to call upon its power. When the time is right, we will gather you together and give you the Zeo powers."

"Tommy, we should really get home before your uncle freaks out," Laura commented. "Besides, I have that essay on heroes due tomorrow."

Adam smiled, "You found someone to write about?" he asked in a gentle voice, relieved that Laura could once again trust in other people.

Laura, however, merely smiled and teleported out of the Command Center, "Katherine, Tanya, why don't you come over tonight and keep Laura company after she's done her essay?" Tommy suggested. "It's kind of late to go looking for David and Mark, don't you think?"

"Sure," Katherine replied in a gentle voice as she took Tanya's hand. "Doctor Oliver's really nice, Tanya."

Tanya nodded and was silent as she teleported from the Command Center with Katherine, Tommy, and Adam, "Zordon, I don't know if I can really do this," Rocky said in an anxious voice. "I've never forgiven myself for how I acted and how much I fought against the Rangers."

"Those cuts on your back are still deep and painful, I take it?" Zordon asked in a gentle voice. "Rocky, please let Alpha check your back."

Rocky immediately stepped away from Alpha, "They don't hurt as much as they used to," he lied anxiously, not wanting to be subjected to tests that would show that he was still struggling with aftereffects of the whipping. "I'm able to get through each day with only a little pain."

Alpha walked over to Rocky and gently touched his arm, "Rocky, if you are going to have a chance at accepting the Zeo power that I have chosen to give you when the time is right, you must let us help you now," Zordon stated. "You are not currently in top physical condition."

Rocky sighed and walked over to the cot, "I don't want the others knowing about this," he replied as he sat on the cot and lifted his shirt, revealing that the cuts had grown and were significantly redder than before. "The nightmares have stopped, but the pain hasn't."

"Just lie down and let me run a scan," Alpha stated, unconcerned when Rocky immediately lay on his side. "Breathe slowly."

Silently praying that none of the other Rangers found out about his continued suffering, Rocky gritted his teeth and remained silent as Alpha performed a bioscan. As he lay there, his eyes began to feel heavy and before Rocky knew it, he was slowly falling asleep.

* * *

"Greetings class, welcome to your last day of classes before semester finals!" Ms. Appleby said as she walked into the classroom. "Since it IS the last day before finals, I thought I'd make it an easy class. Laura Hammond is going to read her essay on the hero in her life. Laura?"

There was suddenly a knock at the door and Dr. Oliver walked in. He ignored all the bewildered looks he was getting from Ms. Appleby and every student in the classroom except for Laura and took a seat in a desk close to the door. Laura smiled, stood, and hurried to the front with a purple duotang in hand that contained the paper she worked on before spending the rest of the night chatting with Katherine and Tanya.

"When Ms. Appleby first assigned us this paper on heroes, I didn't think I knew anybody worth writing about because I had just come from a less than happy home environment to a new town," Laura explained as she opened the duotang. "However, as time went on and things happened in my life that I wasn't expecting, I realized that there was someone who is now in my life that definitely deserves the title of hero and that someone is our school counselor, Doctor Oliver. Doctor Oliver was definitely earns the title of hero as far as I am concerned…"

Dr. Oliver blushed; he didn't say anything, however, as it would only discourage Laura from ever wanting to do any sort of homework for the rest of her school career. He knew that she had struggled with this assignment and was honestly flattered to be considered a hero to not only Tommy and Adam, but Laura as well. Unlike Laura, however, Tommy and Adam had told him that he was the topic of their hero essays. He also knew that Laura might have selected Lt. Stone as her hero except that Lt. Stone didn't like students writing papers on him.

As Laura continued speaking, Jason's attention wandered to the empty seats in the classroom; Bulk and Skull's were empty, as was expected with recent events, but the strange thing was that Rocky's seat was also empty. Rocky was never, ever absent. Had something happened?

"Jason, are you paying attention?" Jason suddenly heard Ms. Appleby ask in a stern voice.

Deeply embarrassed, Jason focused his attention back on the front. Ms. Appleby smiled and stayed quiet as Laura continued talking.

* * *

"This is disgusting," Malcolm commented as he ate a spoonful of the cafeteria soup Katherine offered him. "What do you suppose is in it?"

The lunch bell had rung not long after Laura had finished reading her essay and, desperately hungry, the large group of friends had come to the cafeteria together and Tommy and Laura were still in line helping Tanya get a good lunch while Jason, Adam, Malcolm, and Katherine had quickly gotten their lunches and picked a table big enough to seat everyone. Since David was a senior, his lunch period was at a different time and Mark didn't like the cafeteria because it was difficult to navigate with lots of people, so he ate alone in the quiet resource room.

Adam and Jason exchanged an amused look as Katherine chuckled, "It's good for you, whatever it is," she replied as Malcolm swallowed and made a disgusted face. She smiled at him and then gently stroked his cheek. Malcolm immediately calmed down and smiled at her.

"Hey guys, now that I've had my fill of lunch, I was wondering something," Malcolm said in a gentle voice. "I talked to my aunt and uncle last night and we're going to be having a memorial service for my parents at Angel Grove Beach on Saturday. If Crystal Valley hadn't been destroyed by Rita and Zedd, we would have held it there, but a beach is still a good place for a memorial. Would all of you guys like to attend?"

Katherine smiled, "I'll talk to David and Mark and see if they want to come too," she replied as she hugged Malcolm. "I'll come, of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world, Malcolm."

Adam smiled and then suddenly frowned as Doctor Oliver suddenly came into the cafeteria and hurried over to Laura, "Guys, do you suppose Doctor Oliver is upset that Laura wrote that essay on him?" he asked as he watched Dr. Oliver explain something to Laura and immediately saw horrified looks on Laura, Tommy, and Tanya's faces. "Jason, we should really go see what's got Laura so upset all of a sudden, don't you think?"

Jason, who had secretly liked Laura from the moment he met her, nodded, but before he could get up, Laura suddenly started to cry. Katherine, Malcolm, and Jason turned in their seats just in time to see Laura hug Tommy and Tanya. She then looked at the rest of them sadly and left at a fast and very unsteady pace. As Dr. Oliver followed after Laura, Tommy swallowed hard, whispered something to Tanya, and then left the room.

Tanya looked very uneasy as she walked over to the table, "Tanya, why is Laura so upset and why did she leave with Doctor Oliver all of a sudden?" Jason asked in a worried voice. "She was very happy until Doctor Oliver came and talked to you, her, and Tommy."

"Doctor Oliver didn't say a lot in front of Tommy and I," Tanya replied uneasily. "He said that she had some unfinished business to take care of in Los Angeles and she suddenly started crying so much that she couldn't talk. Doctor Oliver said that he was going with her and I think Tommy's going to try and go with them too."

Jason suddenly looked heartsick, "Laura's from Los Angeles," he stated, suddenly feeling ready to puke. "Tanya, have a seat; there's some stuff we should tell you."

Tanya nodded and sat down on the other side of Malcolm. Malcolm suddenly looked uneasy and rested his head on Katherine's shoulder and Jason stared at his food for a moment and then pushed his tray gently rubbed Jason's shoulder, but didn't say anything to his distraught friend. Katherine looked around at Malcolm, Jason, Adam, and Tanya.

A feeling of sorrow and uneasiness had suddenly made them not want to do anything but think together in total silence.

* * *

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	32. The Era of the Zeo Star

"Daddy, the big guy's almost melted!" Prince Sprocket yelled in an anxious voice as he watched the ice melt off Bulk's face.

King Mondo came into the throne room just as Bulk opened his eyes and promptly screamed at the sight of the robots, "W-where am I?" he asked through chattering teeth, "Excellent Sprocket, now I can take the gem and revive my Empire!" King Mondo crowed happily.

"What gem?" Bulk asked, shocked when King Mondo ripped his necklace from around his neck. "HEY, THAT'S MINE!"

King Mondo chuckled and caressed the black rock in his hand, "This gem will help me fuel up my monster-making machine and allow me to find the spare parts I need to make things that will destroy the Earth!" he roared as he hurried over to the dormant machine that sat in the corner of the small room next to a telescope. "Klank has been dormant in the machine for years and it is now time to revive him!"

Bulk whimpered as King Mondo inserted the rock into a slot, but nothing happened, "WHAT?!" King Mondo roared angrily, realizing that the machine had not been reactivated by the gem as was supposed to happen. "THIS IS NOTHING BUT A USELESS BLACK ROCK!"

"I-It's a cool rock I found outside of t-town!" Bulk chattered anxiously as he continued to shiver uncontrollably. "I-It was f-for S-Skull!"

King Mondo steamed, "MY MACHINE IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT MAGIC TO POWER IT!" he roared as he whipped the rock out of the machine and threw it to the ground, causing it to break. Bulk whimpered and tried to move, but his feet were still encased in ice.

"Calm down dear, your oil's boiling," Queen Machina said as she came into the throne room dragging an unconscious Kimberly by her the Ninja Coin that was pinned to her dirty pink tank top. "We can power the machine with Kimberly's Power Coin and dispose of this useless mortal."

Bulk whimpered as King Mondo ripped the Coin from Kimberly's shirt and placed it in the machine, "Ah, excellent!" King Mondo crowed as the machine suddenly began to work. "Machina, get rid of Kimberly however you see fit and take this chubby mortal with you as well."

"Dear, I think we should keep Kimberly around," Machina replied in an amused voice. "She could prove useful as a bartering tool later."

King Mondo laughed, "Perhaps you are right my dear," he commented in a gentle voice. "Ah, the machine is ready to release Klank!"

The door to the machine opened and Klank stepped out, "Greetings sire!" he said in a jubilant Scottish accent. "How might I help ye?"

"Daddy, why don't we turn this fat guy into a monster?" Prince Sprocket chirped. "The Cogs can provide a distraction while we work."

King Mondo steamed, "I ordered those Cogs destroyed!" he hissed. "However, Sprocket, you do have a good point; put him in!"

Bulk whimpered as King Mondo picked him up by his shirt collar and carried him over to the machine, "This won't hurt a bit," he said.

As King Mondo threw Bulk into the machine and shut the door, Kimberly suddenly fell from Queen Machina's grip and hit the floor.

* * *

"Ms. Appleby, I'm done," Skull said in a tired voice as he closed the binder that held his final exams and lay back on the pillow that was on the hospital bed where he had been confined in the last week. He was so exhausted from his exams that he barely acknowledged Ms. Appleby as she came over to the portable table and picked the binder up. "I'm surprised that Mister Caplan hasn't kicked me out of school by now."

Ms. Appleby gave him a reassuring smile, "You're doing your best, Mister Skullovitch, and we can't really fault you for having an illness that is far beyond your control," she replied gently as she tucked the binder under her arm. "The entire faculty knows that you can't come to school right now and we're giving you a break on your attendance so long as you keep up with the work and counseling sessions."

"Doctor Oliver's out of town this week, though," Skull replied in a tired voice. "Who's going to actually come and visit me willingly?"

The door suddenly opened and a fully uniformed Lieutenant Stone came into the room with a large binder underneath his arm, "Doctor Oliver sends his regrets that he couldn't come himself, but left me some coursework that he wanted you to do while he was away," he said in an official voice as he walked over to the bed. "I didn't look at it, but Doctor Oliver left you a note inside the binder. How are you feeling?"

"Maybe after I have a nap, I can look at it," Skull replied sleepily. "Everyone's doing finals this week and I just did a bunch of them today."

Lieutenant Stone nodded, but before he could reply, Cogs appeared in the hospital room and grabbed hold of Lieutenant Stone and Ms. Appleby. Skull tried to sit back up, but Prince Sprocket suddenly appeared on top of the hospital bed and pointed a sword at him.

"Stop right there!" Prince Sprocket hissed gleefully. "You'll be the perfect diversion to my daddy's really cool plan!"

Lieutenant Stone and Ms. Appleby exchanged a look, "I really don't want any visitors right now," Skull commented in a tired voice.

"Tough!" Prince Sprocket replied angrily as he slapped Skull across the face. "You are a weak Earthling and you amuse me!"

Ms. Appleby frowned, "You are a naughty little thing, whatever you are!" she commented in an angry voice. "Let Mister Skullovitch go."

"I'm NOT a thing!" Prince Sprocket cried, insulted by Ms. Appleby's comment. "My name is Prince Sprocket!"

The ground suddenly began to tremble and Queen Machina appeared, "Sprocket, what are you doing?" she asked in a curious voice as she saw him sitting on the hospital bed that Skull was resting in. "Ah, it's YOU! When I was analyzing Kimberly, I came upon an image of you."

Skull's eyes widened, but he said nothing, "I didn't think she would have any feelings for such a simpleton!" Queen Machina said in an amused voice as she picked Sprocket up off the bed. "Now, Sprocket, come along; the Cogs can keep these people in here for now."

"Aww, I wanna stay until Daddy is done making a monster!" Sprocket whined. "I don't wanna hang out at the palace by myself!"

Lieutenant Stone cautiously took off his hat, "Look, little one, why don't you go home with your mom?" he said in a voice that he would only ever use to deal with an unhappy child. "Mister Skullovitch really does need to rest and Ms. Appleby and I have to go back to work."

"I think I should just turn you into blocks and play with you!" Sprocket whined. "Humans are so annoying!"

Queen Machina sighed, "I know they are, but we must be patient in dealing with them," she replied gently. "The monster will be ready soon."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Skull whimpered, full of horror and disgust at this scenario. "Someone pass me a bedpan."

Ms. Appleby swore and pulled herself free of the Cogs, "I have had just about enough of this!" she yelled. "Get out of here!"

"She'd make a better monster than that Bulky guy, Mommy!" Sprocket crowed. "Let's go tell Daddy!"

As Queen Machina and Prince Sprocket disappeared, Skull passed out. The Cogs looked at each other and at Lieutenant Stone, as they were now too frightened to even approach Ms. Appleby. Lieutenant Stone hit the Cogs and promptly regretted it, as his hand began to swell.

* * *

"Tanya, I have a letter for you," Ernie called out from behind the Juice Bar counter as he saw Tanya walk into the Youth Center with Katherine, who was carefully leading Mark across the floor. Tanya looked surprised, but hurried over to the counter to get a hold of the letter.

Ernie smiled as Tanya approached and handed her the letter, "It's from a Los Angeles address," Ernie whispered. "Do you know anyone there?"

Tanya nodded and took the letter, reading the envelope carefully, "Thanks Ernie," she said, seeing that the letter had messy handwriting.

Nodding, Ernie returned to the kitchen and Tanya opened the letter, "Katherine, come here for a sec," she said in a worried voice.

"Just let me help Mark to a table," Katherine replied in a kind voice. "He's worried about his math final tomorrow."

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

"New beeper, sis?" Mark asked as they reached a table. "David must have gotten you one yesterday or something."

Katherine smiled, helped Mark to sit down, and put his Braille books on the table, "I'll go check it," she replied in a gentle voice. "You study."

Mark nodded and began to work through his Braille math book, "Zordon, what is it?" Katherine whispered as she edged away from Mark.

"Katherine, you and Tanya need to come to the Command Center immediately," Zordon replied. "The other Rangers will meet you there."

Katherine cast a look at Mark, "I was supposed to transcribe his study notes for him," she whispered. "What am I going to do?"

Suddenly, David, who was exhausted from his own semester finals, came into the Youth Center, "David, I have to run back to school and get something I forgot," Katherine said in an anxious voice. "Mark has his math final tomorrow and needs help studying. Can you help him?"

"Of course," David replied, always eager to help Mark and Katherine however he could. "Is Tanya going back to the school with you?"

Katherine nodded and hurried out of the Youth Center with Tanya at her heels. David smiled and walked over to where Mark was sitting.

* * *

Katherine and Tanya touched down in the Command Center and were surprised to see Tommy already there, standing near Zordon's tube and talking softly to Zordon, "Katherine, Tanya, welcome," Zordon said, prompting Tommy to turn around and reveal his balled up fists.

"Tommy, I thought you had gone to Los Angeles with Laura and your uncle?" Katherine asked, remembering that Tommy had left the high school cafeteria with Laura and Dr. Oliver a few days ago. "If you're back, does that mean Laura and your uncle are back too?"

Tommy shook his head, but before he could speak, Jason and Malcolm touched down in the Command Center, "Guys, I'm not really allowed to be discussing Laura's situation right now," he explained in a worried voice. "Besides, we've got bigger things to worry about right now."

"Tommy is right, Katherine," Zordon stated. "The time has now come to bestow the Zeo Star's powers on the seven of you."

Adam suddenly touched down in the Command Center, catching the end of Zordon's comment, "Zordon, how can the powers be given to us if we don't have all seven pieces?" he asked in a confused voice. "Besides, we need Rocky and Laura to come here; we need seven people."

Tommy sighed and opened his right hand, revealing a triangle shaped stone, "I have the seventh piece of the Zeo Star," he stated softly.

"What about Rocky and Laura?" Jason asked in a worried voice. "We don't have enough people for the powers of the Zeo Star yet."

There was a deep sigh and Rocky suddenly came out of the darkness accompanied by Alpha, "I'm here," Rocky replied tiredly. "What's up?"

"Alpha, take the seventh piece from Tommy and add it to the Star Frame we have constructed," Zordon instructed. "Rangers, form a line."

Jason, Rocky, Katherine, Tanya, Malcolm, Tommy, and Adam quickly formed a line, "Zordon, where's Laura?" Jason asked in a worried voice.

Alpha quickly took the stone from Tommy and hurried over to a small star-shaped container where the other six star pieces were already in place. He inserted the star piece into the container and the newly formed star immediately began to glow multiple colors rapidly.

The star immediately broke apart and each piece and the center of the star came to rest above each of the seven, "Each piece of the Zeo Star is a different color and gives off a different energy-based power to each of you," Zordon explained. "Katherine, step forward."

Katherine nodded and stepped forward, "Katherine, you are Zeo Ranger One and your color is pink," Zordon explained. "Tanya, step forward."

"What?" Tanya asked in a nervous voice as she stepped forward. "I don't understand; what about Laura?"

Zordon coughed, "Tanya, you are Zeo Ranger Two and your color is Yellow," he stated. "Rocky, please step forward."

"Rocky, you are Zeo Ranger Three and your color is Red," Zordon stated firmly. "Adam, please step forward."

Adam nodded and quickly stepped forward, "Adam, you are Zeo Ranger Four and your color is Green," Zordon stated.

Figuring he was next, Tommy stepped forward, "Tommy, you are Zeo Ranger Five and your color is White," Zordon said in firmly.

Trying not to think of what could have happened to Laura and why she wasn't there, Jason stepped forward, "Jason, you are Zeo Ranger Six and your color is Gold," Zordon stated as a gold staff suddenly appeared in Jason's left hand. "Malcolm, please step forward now."

Malcolm stepped forward, "Malcolm, you are Zeo Ranger Seven and your color is Blue," Zordon said as a silver necklace appeared in his hand.

A light suddenly filled the Command Chamber, completely engulfing the seven new Zeo Rangers, Zordon, Alpha, and all of the machines.

"A new day is upon us and it is time to draw upon the Zeo Star to help defend the world against a new evil," Zordon's voice echoed throughout the chamber. "The Machine Empire is working on conquering Earth and the next level of the Power Rangers now must come forth."

The light suddenly faded and Katherine, Tanya, Rocky, Adam, Tommy, Jason, and Malcolm were shocked to find themselves in pink, yellow, red, green, gold, white, and blue power suits with various pieces of the Zeo Star serving as viewers on their helmets and chest emblems.

They could see fourteen items on the console in front of them; two wrist items for each of them with corresponding colors on the wrist straps.

Loud beeping could suddenly be heard, "The alarm is going off!" Alpha suddenly exclaimed. "The Machine Empire is already at work!"

"Rangers, my sensors detect trouble at Angel Grove Hospital," Zordon stated in a grave voice. "Behold the new Viewer to my right."

As the Rangers looked to the viewer, an image of Lt. Stone trying to fight off Cogs with a swollen hand while Ms. Appleby tried to revive an unconscious Skull appeared on the screen, "I was supposed to visit Skull after I was done writing my final," Adam said with a groan.

"What's Lieutenant Stone doing there, though?" Malcolm asked in a confused voice. "Doesn't he usually work during the day?"

Zordon coughed, "Rangers, my instincts tell me that this is a diversion from something even more deadly that King Mondo is in the process of preparing," he commented. "However, your current focus must be on rescuing the innocent hostages from King Mondo's Cogs."

* * *

The little robots cornering him were strong, but very mighty, Lieutenant Stone told himself, as he nursed his badly swollen hand and tried to break free of the tiny corner that he had been backed into.

On the other side of the small robots, he could see that Ms. Appleby was failing to revive the unconscious Skull. Skull's books were now scattered on the floor as a result of the visit from Queen Machina and Prince Sprocket.

Suddenly, seven people in Power suits touched down inside the hospital room and the Cogs turned away from Lieutenant Stone, allowing the terrified police lieutenant to escape the room and find help for Skull. Personally, Lieutenant Stone had had enough of monster attacks.

Ms. Appleby's eyes widened as the people in pink, red, and green suits came over to the bed, "You need to leave right away," the pink ranger said in a concerned voice as she checked to see if Skull was still breathing. "We'll stay with him until medical help comes, I promise."

"You don't understand, I promised Frank that I would look after things while he was away," Ms. Appleby replied as she placed her hands on the metal railing of the hospital bed. "Frank usually comes and visits Eugene, but he had emergency business that took him out of town…"

Without warning, the Cogs suddenly broke through the blockade that the gold, yellow, blue, and white Rangers had formed to protect Ms. Appleby and Skull from any further harm.

They lunged towards Ms. Appleby and Skull, but Tommy and Rocky quickly pulled the Cogs back and threw them into the wall. The two remaining Cogs started forward, but Jason and Tanya knocked them both backwards into the same wall.

The door suddenly flew open and two nurses, a doctor, and Lieutenant Stone hurried into the room, "The Power Rangers defeated those weird metal things!" Ms. Appleby said in an excited voice as she gestured to the mess near the wall. "Thank you very much, Rangers."

Realizing that it was time to leave so that Skull could be helped medically, the seven Rangers teleported out of Skull's hospital room.

* * *

David and Mark were still working hard at the corner table when Katherine and Tanya came into the Youth Center, "Why won't you say what's going on and why Tommy went back to Los Angeles all of a sudden?" Katherine asked in a worried voice as they walked over to where Mark and David were talking and working with the Braille books. "Tanya, you need to tell us what's going on and why Laura hasn't come back yet."

"I am sure Laura is fine," David commented in a calm voice as he looked up from the notes he was transcribing. "I am also sure that Tommy is fine, as he is with Doctor Oliver. Mark, now that Katherine is here, did you want to tell her what you told me earlier?"

Katherine smiled at Mark, who suddenly looked nervous, "I want to take the martial arts class that Jason and Malcolm Lee Scott are teaching," he said in a nervous voice as he fingered his Braille book. "I've been studying hard and doing okay in school, but I want to learn self-defense."

Swallowing hard, Mark shut his book, "Never mind, I don't think Jason and Malcolm would let a blind person actually join their class," he said in a nervous voice as he got to his feet and picked his Braille book up. "It's a stupid thought, Kat, and I'm sorry I ever brought it up at all."

"No, it's not a stupid thought!" Katherine replied in an upset voice as Jason and Malcolm walked into the room dressed in their karate clothes.

Exchanging a look at Katherine's outburst, Jason and Malcolm walked over to where Katherine, David, and Mark were, "What's not a stupid thought?" Jason asked, concerned by how distressed Mark and Katherine looked. "What's wrong, Mark? Did you do badly on a final exam?"

"Oh, hey Jason," Mark commented, immediately recognizing Jason's voice. "No, my exams are going well. I was just telling Kat that I want to try taking the martial arts class you and Malcolm teach since I get picked on a lot for being blind. I need to learn how to stand up for myself."

Malcolm smiled, "I can help you with the moves if you want, Mark," he offered in a gentle voice. "I can explain what Jason is doing to the very last detail so you can copy it without trouble; I used to do the same thing whenever my mother was curious about what I learned."

"I think there's extra karategi's in the locker room," Jason commented. "If you want, Mark, I could help you get ready for class today."

Mark smiled and held out his hand, as he wasn't exactly sure where Jason was standing. Jason carefully took Mark's hand and led him away from the table, across the floor, and towards the locker room, "I was thinking of getting Mark a new cane with some of the money my father left me," David commented as he smiled at Malcolm and Katherine. "Malcolm, did Katherine tell you that I'm living in the city now?"

"Now you can come to be with me at the beach on Saturday," Malcolm replied, smiling at Katherine. "I was hoping you would be able to."

Katherine smiled and kissed Malcolm's cheek, "Even if I wasn't living in town now, I would still come," she replied softly. "You know that."

Malcolm chuckled, "Yes, I know," he replied with a grin on his face. "David, you and Mark are also welcome to come to the beach on Saturday for the memorial service we are holding for my parents. If I knew where Tanya was today, I'd see if whoever she is staying with will let her…"

"Tanya's living with Mark, David, and I," Katherine explained in a gentle voice. "She went with Adam and Rocky to visit Skull in the hospital."

Malcolm winced, "I thought he was doing outpatient chemotherapy?" he asked in a worried voice. "I didn't think he had a session today."

Katherine shrugged, but before she could reply, Jason and Mark came back into the main area; Mark was holding on to Jason's arm and he was wearing a white karategi that was a little big, but fit his frame well, "Oh, Mark, you look so handsome!" Katherine said in a voice of awe.

"Cool," Mark replied in a happy voice. "I'm really excited to be focusing my attention on something besides schoolwork."

Katherine smiled as Jason led Mark over to the area where the class would be taking place, "It's good he finally wants to do something after school besides think about our missing parents," she said in a calm voice. "Hey, you'd better go and get changed for class. I'll see you later."

Malcolm nodded and hurried off towards the locker room, "You didn't tell anyone of the dreams you've been having about your friend in Africa," David whispered in a concerned voice as Katherine gathered Mark's school supplies. "I thought you said they were premonitions."

"I'm sure they were just silly dreams," Katherine replied in a nervous voice. "Nothing's going to happen to Billy while he's in Africa."

David nodded, "Just be careful," he said in a calm voice. "I had dreams about Tommy before I met him and your dreams might also be true."

"Oh, I hope not," Katherine replied fearfully as she looked over to where Mark and Jason were. "Life's hard enough already."

* * *

"Foolish boy, he has no idea," Rito hissed as he peered through a fragment of crystal that was hidden in the planetary cave where he had come to find Goldar and Scorpina. "Prince Zedison has no idea that once we regroup our forces, we will draw upon his power to rule the world."

There was a loud crash and Scorpina suddenly came out from behind a rock wall, "Goldar, we have a visitor!" she yelled.

"Goldar's here?" Rito asked in an eager voice as he looked around at the cave. "Who might you be, anyway?"

Scorpina scoffed and held out her left hand, which sported a gold band on the index finger, "We eloped shortly after Rita and Zedd left to find help in defeating the Power Rangers," she replied haughtily. "We two don't really have the power to defeat them by ourselves."

Goldar suddenly emerged from a rock arch nearby, "Rito!" he crowed, delighted to see his friend. "What are you doing here?"

"The Machine Empire's taken over the Moon and I need help in destroying them," Rito replied in a whiny voice. "They kidnapped a civilian and they have Kimberly as a hostage, but they're not really doing anything with her. Oh, I also found Prince Zedison on Earth as a blind mortal."

Goldar and Scorpina exchanged a look, "Rita and Zedd put Zedison on the Earth without any powers because Ivan Ooze almost killed him from excessive torture," Goldar explained in a know-it-all voice. "We also know about the new Zeo Power Rangers, you know."

"We should kidnap Kimberly and make her into a bride for Prince Zedison once we can convince him to return!" Rito crowed. "He'd love it!"

Goldar scoffed, "Only Rita and Zedd can give Prince Zedison his memory and powers back," he replied irritably. "Without them…"

"Too bad," Rito said with a sigh in his voice. "What if, though, we went looking for that crazy space pirate to help us kidnap Prince Zedison?"

Scorpina's eyes widened, "Are you nuts?" she asked in a shocked voice. "Divatox is almost impossible to find!"

For a moment, Goldar was silent and then chuckled, "If only we could find that brainy kid who used to be the Blue Power Ranger," he said in an amused voice as he turned his attention to the crystal. "He has knowledge that would prove very, very useful to us."

"Oh, you mean Billy?" Rito asked in a confused voice. "I think Billy ran away from the Rangers because they didn't like him anymore."

Goldar grinned, "Let's go find him then," he said in a menacing voice. "Even if we have to search the entire Earth for him."

* * *

"Excuse me, we're here to see Eugene Skullovitch," Adam said in a polite voice as he and Rocky approached the hospital admit desk where a middle-aged woman in pink scrubs was working on paperwork. "We go to the same high school as him and we just wanted to see…"

The woman looked up at them, "Oh, I'm sorry," she replied in a somber voice. "Mister Skullovitch is not allowed any visitors right now."

Adam and Rocky exchanged a confused look before looking back at the woman, "You see, boys, the chemotherapy regimen Mister Skullovitch was undergoing has left his immune system very weak and we were forced to put him into isolation just an hour ago," she explained in a sympathetic voice. "If Mister Skullovitch's health improves well enough, we'll be putting him on a list for a bone marrow transplant."

"Bone marrow transplant?" Rocky asked in a nervous voice. "Could…could Skull die from this if he doesn't get one soon?"

The woman suddenly looked very serious, but was interrupted by a soft sniffle, "Oh, Adam, you've come to visit Eugene," a tired voice said.

Adam and Rocky turned and saw Mrs. Skullovitch standing beside them in a loose t-shirt, sweats, and work boots; she was holding a box of tissues and a jacket under her arms and she looked distressed, "Yes, I brought my friend, Rocky, with me," Adam replied nervously.

"Rocky, it's nice to meet you," Mrs. Skullovitch replied in a distressed voice. "I'm Eugene's mother, Wilma."

Rocky nodded, "Is there anything we can do for you?" he asked, suddenly feeling very bad about Skull's situation.

Mrs. Skullovitch shrugged and Rocky suddenly had a brainwave, "Can't people like donate blood and bone marrow to Skull?" he asked in an uncertain voice as he gave both her and Adam a look. "What if we did some sort of blood drive at Angel Grove High School for Skull?"

"Why, that would be very nice," Mrs. Skullovitch replied in an intrigued voice. "Could you two boys help me organize one?"

Adam nodded, "We could go over to the school right now and see if Mr. Caplan is there to discuss it," he offered in a kind voice.

"Yeah, I could drive us there in my truck," Rocky stated in a pleasant voice. "I'm sure he'd be willing to discuss a blood drive."

Mrs. Skullovitch smiled at both boys and silently followed them from the hospital, grateful that Eugene had people who cared about him.

* * *

Night came quickly and Adam, who was hoping that Mr. Caplan would allow them to hold the drive once the new semester began on Monday, found himself alone in Dr. Oliver's large kitchen nursing a cup of hot cocoa at the kitchen counter. It was nearly midnight and he was so exhausted from the last week of semester finals he had just taken; he knew that he needed to go to bed, but he just felt so alone.

A light suddenly flashed on outside and, instinctively, Adam jumped to his feet and got into fighting stance; to him, lights flashing on outside of a house meant police and police meant nothing but trouble, pain, and sorrow for him. He suddenly felt very lightheaded and began sinking.

The door was opening and Adam realized that he was on the floor, but he couldn't bring himself to move. His body was numb from shock and terror about why the door was opening so suddenly; surely Dr. Oliver would have called before coming home from Los Angeles, right?

Footsteps entered the house and Adam closed his eyes and felt his body going rigid. He had never been able to shake his intense fear of lights outside of a house at night because of all the broken foster homes he had been in as a kid that had been visited by the police.

Ranger or not, Adam knew that if he just lay there long enough, whoever was inside the house would go away and leave him to relax in peace.

A soft hand suddenly clamped down on his face, "LET GO!" Adam screamed in a voice that was not his own. "P-Please, just leave me alone."

The hand drew back, "Adam, it's us," a tired, yet very familiar voice filtered into his ear. "Tommy was supposed to call you, but he forgot."

Adam opened his eyes and saw a very pale and very tired looking Laura gazing down at him, "Doctor Oliver wanted me to come back before the new semester started on Monday," she explained in a soft voice. "Just lie there for a minute, okay? Tommy, is there ice in the freezer?"

Tommy nodded and moved over to the freezer, "Laura, step back," Adam said in an anxious voice. "I'm seriously gonna throw up."

Laura jumped back just in time to see Adam throw up clear liquid on the floor, "Adam, have you eaten at all today?" she asked worriedly.

"I was busy," Adam replied as he sat up and leaned against the wall. "I have to go to bed; the memorial service is tomorrow at sunrise."

Laura and Tommy exchanged a look, "The one for Malcolm's parents?" Tommy asked in an intrigued voice. "That's at sunrise?"

"I should go and give my condolences to Malcolm," Laura said in a gentle voice. "I can imagine what he's feeling right about now."

Adam nodded and his gaze travelled to the puddle of vomit on the floor, "Oh, I should probably clean the floor," he said, deeply embarrassed.

"I'll take care of it," Tommy quickly offered. "You and Laura should try and get some sleep tonight if you can."

Laura sighed, "I've got so much on my mind right now that I doubt I'd get any sleep," she replied in a semi-amused voice.

"At least try and take a nap," Tommy said in a kind voice. "You did a lot of reading and writing on the drive back from Los Angeles."

Laura rolled her eyes, but silently made her way out of the kitchen, "How's your uncle going to get back from Los Angeles if you and Laura took his car?" Adam asked in a faint voice as he slowly got to his feet and immediately leaned against the wall. "Can you make me some food?"

"Yeah," Tommy replied in a kind voice as he opened the fridge and pulled a container of stored food out. "He said he'd fly back from L.A."

Adam nodded and slowly sat down at the kitchen table so he wouldn't faint again. Tommy silently took the lid off of the Tupperware container and put it in the microwave so Adam could have some warm food.

Even though neither of them knew what else to say to each other or how to really talk to Laura, it was enough that they were now spending time together again; they were all truly a family that was much more important than blood relations.

* * *

Several figures were crowded around a lit fire in a firepit as the sun rose on Angel Grove Beach. In front of the fire stood a portable table that held only recent photos of Tyler and Karen Lee Scott, as a lot of things had been lost when Malcolm's childhood home had been destroyed.

It was a simple memorial service with no speeches at Malcolm's request; sunrise had been his mother and father's favorite time of day and a moment of silent remembrance for them would suffice. After the moment was past, everyone would go to Ernie's for a light breakfast.

The moment of silence was over quickly enough and Thomas, Helen, Jason, and Malcolm then stood together near the table in a line so that the few people who had come could express their condolences. Katherine reached Malcolm first and immediately enveloped him in a gentle hug.

With Katherine next to him, Malcolm was able to greet David, Mark, and Rocky with a calm demeanor and a smile on his face. Malcolm was equally cordial to Tanya and Adam; however, upon seeing Laura, he gently wrapped her in a hug and gently whispered in her ear.

Laura silently nodded and patted his cheek before pulling away and moving down the line to give Jason and his parents condolences. As Thomas, Helen, and Jason all embraced her, Tommy and Malcolm shared a friendly embrace and exchanged a few quiet words.

Billy and Zack had sent condolences to Malcolm via a letter, but had stayed in Africa; in reality, Zack was still feeling very guilty about all that he had done to Malcolm while under Rita and Zedd's control and Billy was still very angry at Zordon for not letting him become a Zeo Ranger.

However, nobody dwelled on the negative that day; everyone chose to dwell on the peaceful silence that was the dawn of a brand new day.

* * *

Reviews please?


	33. Acting For Survival

_**African Wilderness – Tribal Camp**_

"Billy, the meal's ready," Billy heard Zack say in an excited voice. "The village is waiting for you."

Billy sighed and continued staring at the fire that he had made earlier, just as dusk was falling; he had no desire to eat or sleep now that he was a civilian with no access to power. Zordon, Alpha, and most of the Zeo Rangers hadn't bothered to contact him. Only Tommy had written him, telling him that Laura had given up her chance to be a Zeo Ranger for personal reasons and that Malcolm had honored his parents.

"Dude, if you don't come right now, I'm sending the village doctor!" Zack yelled in an exasperated voice.

Silently cursing the fact that he hadn't gone on a trek alone when he had been given the chance days ago, Billy rose from his log and walked over to where the hut where the villagers gathered to share the evening meal. Zack was lingering outside the hut chatting with a woman Billy immediately recognized as one of the village's medical trainees, Aisha Campbell, who was wearing a long red tribal dress.

"Billy, Zack tells me you have not been eating." Aisha stated in a worried voice. "Are you unwell?"

Billy narrowed his eyes at Zack for a moment before giving Aisha a gentle look, "I'm just a little worn out from all the research I've been doing," Billy lied, not wanting to tell Aisha that he had not only been thinking of the Zeo Rangers, but also suffering nightmares about some odd gems. "I don't think I…"

"You must eat," Aisha stated firmly, quickly cutting him off. "Hard work requires a lot of strength, Billy."

As Aisha gently put her hands on his face, Billy blushed, "All right, I'll have some dinner," he replied.

"Dinner will have to wait, Billy," Goldar said as he and Scorpina suddenly appeared in front of the three.

Aisha looked alarmed, but Zack and Billy immediately got into fighting stance and blocked Goldar from even seeing Aisha, "Fools, do you think you can fight me without any powers?" Goldar sneered.

"What do you want, Goldar?" Billy asked, suddenly realizing that he could protect both Zack and Aisha from harm by simply listening to Goldar and not triggering a fight. "Did Rita order you to find us?"

Goldar chuckled, "Rita and Zedd left the galaxy," he replied, amused. "I have come for YOU, Billy!"

"Why do you want me?" Billy asked in a confused voice. "I have no powers and I'm useless to you."

Goldar and Scorpina exchanged a look and Goldar grinned; he now knew Billy's anger was reachable.

"Zordon did you a disservice by not letting you become a Zeo Ranger," Goldar said in a fake sympathetic tone as he gazed at Billy. "What he said about you not being able to take on the power was a lie. He thought that the others didn't need you to hold them back from becoming a powerful fighting force."

Billy thought for a moment and nodded slowly, "I could have been a good Zeo Ranger," he stated in a bitter voice that was very much unlike him and caused Zack to cringe. "I have the ability to hold power."

"We lost Prince Zedison in the battle with Ivan Ooze," Goldar lied, knowing full well that Zedison was now mortal and couldn't be brought back without the help of special powers. "Perhaps with your intelligence, Billy, you can help us to bring out the evil in Prince Zedison and restore evil to glory."

Zack gave Billy a look, "Don't do it, man," he warned his friend. "No matter how much you hate Zordon."

"Maybe I've been fighting for the wrong side all this time," Billy said in a hollow voice. "I've got all the intelligence in the world and it hasn't gotten me anywhere. Did Prince Zedison die or just go missing?"

Goldar chuckled, "Prince Zedison is a blind mortal on Earth named Mark Hillard," he replied cooly.

"Mark Hillard," Billy repeated in a bitter voice. "Why do you need a blind mortal to do your bidding?"

Zack gasped, "Billy, you shouldn't try to use your old Morpher!" he said in an alarmed voice.

Billy scoffed, reached into his pocket, and pulled out his old Morpher, "Perhaps I should pay the Zeo Rangers a visit and remind them that I'm capable of holding powers greater than the ones I had."

"Are you nuts, Billy?" Zack asked, stepping in front of Aisha so that she wouldn't end up hurt.

Goldar chuckled, "You aren't strong enough with your old powers," he replied. "However, there is a way for you to become stronger if you were to come with Scorpina and I. We can make you stronger."

"I'm ready," Billy replied even though he was just lying to Goldar just to protect Aisha and Zack.

Goldar cackled and he took hold of Billy's arm roughly and disappeared with him and Scorpina.

"Billy," Zack said mournfully, full of shock that Billy would betray him and Aisha out of spite against Zordon.

* * *

_**Oliver Household – Angel Grove, California**_

It was Saturday, Frank realized as he opened his eyes and found that he had fallen asleep in his office chair still in the khakis, sandals, and collared white shirt that he had worn the day before.

Frank quickly got to his feet and wandered out of his office, suddenly remembering that it was the day of the community blood drive at the high school and Tommy and Adam had most likely gone to volunteer and donate blood. He also knew that Laura was most likely attending to personal business.

_What do I do with the first Saturday I've had free in a while? _Frank wondered as he wandered into the kitchen and saw that everything was cleaned up. _Ah, Adam and Tommy must have done all that._

A thought suddenly came to Frank's mind; he could phone Miss Appleby and ask her to breakfast at the Youth Center since neither of them were working that day and they were allowed to fraternize outside of school. Besides, Frank thought, he hadn't really socialized with anyone his own age in a long time.

Swallowing hard, Frank picked up the phone and dialed a number that he had long since memorized.

"Hello, Miss Appleby?" Frank said into the phone when a voice answered. "This is Doctor Oliver…"

* * *

'ANGEL GROVE BLOOD DRIVE' hung on a poster that was over the doorway to the gym and the inside of the gym was set up so that people all over the city could come and donate blood anytime during the day.

Cots and chairs for the donors were in rows near the stage, equipment and medical personnel were near the bleachers, and a table filled with juices, muffins, and cookies was in the middle of the gym.

Tanya and Katherine smiled as they set up the sign-in table that would let people sign in and be assigned a space and care long enough for them to donate blood. After the new semester had started and there had been enough time to adjust to it, Rocky and Adam had finally gotten permission to run the drive.

"Oh my goodness," Wilma Skullovitch said in an awed voice as she came down the hallway with Mr. Caplan and saw the set-up in the gym. "This is incredible. Did you two girls do all of this yourselves?"

Tanya shook her head, "It was a group effort," she replied gently. "How is Skull feeling today, anyway?"

"Eugene's a fighter," Wilma replied softly. "He was really surprised when I told him about this…"

Katherine nodded just as Malcolm came down the hallway in boots, jeans, and a blue t-shirt, "Hey beautiful," he said in a kind voice as he sauntered over to Kat and gently put an arm around her.

"Malcolm, are you going to donate some blood today?" Katherine asked, blushing deeply at him.

Malcolm nodded, "I'm going to try," he replied softly. "I'm not sure if they'll be able to find any veins."

"You're Malcolm Lee Scott, aren't you?" Wilma asked, suddenly recognizing Malcolm from the newspaper article she read last year. "I saw the article about your parents and I'm very sorry."

Malcolm nodded and suddenly looked very solemn, "Thank you," he replied in a very quiet voice.

"Who helped with the setup?" Mr. Caplan asked in a curious voice. "It looks very impressive."

Tanya smiled, "Jason, Tommy, and Adam were here earlier and after they helped set up, they each donated a little bit of blood," she replied kindly. "I think they decided to go to the Youth Center."

"Perhaps I'll donate some blood," Mr. Caplan cut in, deeply impressed. "How do I go about it?"

Katherine smiled and gestured into the gym, "If you'll follow me, I'll show you," she replied.

* * *

"What's a blood drive, Daddy?" Prince Sprocket asked as he continued looking through the telescope.

Queen Machina looked amused, "Blood is what helps those humans live, I think," she replied as she gazed over at Kimberly, whose pale and lifeless form was strapped to a table. "Maybe that's why Kimberly collapsed after returning? Perhaps she needs some blood from other humans to function."

"Perhaps Big Bopper can collect the blood from this drive and give it to Kimberly so that we can use her in our plan somehow," Prince Sprocket stated in an excited voice. "Do you think he could do it?"

Queen Machina chuckled, "We can infuse Kimberly with energy from the monster machine instead," she replied in an amused voice. "We'll have her go to Angel Grove and get rid of the Zeo Rangers one by one."

"Sounds like a lovely plan, Machina," King Mondo said as he came into the throne room. "That oversized human is ready to terrorize Angel Grove, but I am wondering if I should send him to fight the Rangers."

Prince Sprocket suddenly clapped his hands, "Daddy, I found some of the Rangers!" he said in an excited voice as he peered through the telescope. "They're at some place called the Angel Grove Youth Center."

"Put Kimberly into the machine and infuse her with energy," King Mondo ordered as he hurried to Sprocket's side and peered into the telescope. "Ah, there's a nice crowd at that Youth Center…"

* * *

The sight of Mark in a white karategi doing katas and lunges across the mat with a determined looking David caused Jason to smile as he came into the Youth Center with Adam and Tommy at his side.

"Hi Mark, hey David," Adam greeted the two. "Did you hear about the community blood drive today?"

For a moment, Mark was silent and then stopped, "I've never been good at taking needles," he replied in a sheepish voice as he felt around for David's arm to grab a hold of. "I'm not really that brave."

Jason sighed, fighting the urge to tell Mark that he was brave in dealing with all that he had been through, "Doesn't Malcolm usually work with you whenever you want to do martial arts?" he asked, not wanting an awkward silence to linger. "He's at the school right now, but I'm sure he'd come help you."

"I want to give Kat and Malcolm some time together," Mark replied pleasantly as he turned towards the voice to make it look like he was listening. "I think David's a bit worn out, though, for an actual spar."

David chuckled, "We've been doing katas for nearly an hour, Mark," he commented pleasantly.

"Would you like to spar with me, Jason?" Mark asked in a hopeful voice. "I want to try sparring."

Jason smiled, "Sure," he replied even though he was unsure how well Mark was going to do.

"Do you guys want some lunch?" Ernie, who had been in the back preparing a tray of sandwiches, asked as he came out into the common area pushing a tray full of sandwiches. "I'm offering a discount on lunch today to all those who participate in the community blood drive. The first sandwich is free."

Tommy grinned, "If Rocky were here, he'd jump at the chance for free food," he commented as he walked over to Ernie to help him with the tray. "Too bad he and his family went out of town this weekend for a camping trip. I left my karategi here last night, Jason; you can borrow it if you want."

"Ernie, can I please have a bit of water?" Mark asked in a tired voice. "The katas made me tired."

As Jason hurried to the locker room to change clothes, David reached into the pocket of his karategi and pulled out a cane which he quickly opened up. He slipped the cane into Mark's hand and walked alongside him as he slowly made his way across the mats towards the Juice Bar.

Adam, however, remained where he was and was deeply relieved that nobody was pressing him for information on Laura or Rocky's true whereabouts. Tommy knew what Laura, who had been very scarce since the beginning of the new semester, was currently up to, but he didn't know about Rocky's secret.

Swallowing hard, Adam turned away from the Juice Bar; he was beginning to feel like a bad guy because he was keeping secrets about some friends from other friends and it made him anxious. He suddenly began to feel lightheaded and began to sweat; it was an unfortunate side effect of the anxiety he had battled with ever since he had been put into the system. He was scared of losing everything yet again.

"Adam?" Tommy asked in a concerned voice as he looked up from the counter and saw Adam standing in the middle of the floor as frozen as a statue. "Adam, why don't you come and get a sandwich?"

Suddenly feeling a headache coming on, Adam sank to his knees and was vaguely aware of footsteps running towards him, "Adam, what's wrong?" he heard an alarmed Tommy ask. "Talk to me."

"I can't keep keeping everyone's secrets," Adam said in a faint voice as he felt Tommy easing him to the floor into a more comfortable position. "Too many secrets tore my last family to shreds."

Tommy looked alarmed as Adam suddenly tensed up and fell silent, "Adam, Adam, wake up," he said in a worried voice as Jason came back into the room wearing a karategi. "Ernie, call an ambulance now."

"What happened?" Jason asked as he hurried over to where Tommy was holding Adam. "Adam?"

* * *

"Yes, that is Adam Park," Kimberly spoke in a menacing voice as she watched Jason and Tommy try to wake Adam up through the telescope. "King Mondo, they are all Power Rangers; they left me behind!"

King Mondo chuckled, "I hate Tommy, Jason, and Adam with every fibre of my being," Kimberly stated as she turned to face King Mondo and Queen Machina. "However, I do not hate them as much as I hate Laura Hammond for taking Tommy away from me! Tommy and Laura are very close to one another…"

"Daddy, can I help Kimberly find this Laura and cause some trouble?" Prince Sprocket, who was almost certain that Laura was the Yellow Zeo Ranger who had interrupted his party with Skull, asked excitedly.

King Mondo was silent for a moment and then chuckled, "If the Power Rangers are separated and distracted, Big Bopper will stand more of a chance," he replied. "Yes, Sprocket, you two may go."

As Kimberly and Sprocket disappeared, King Mondo turned his attention to Bulk, who was in a marshmallow like costume with blue shorts a fishnet top and boxing gloves on the various parts of his body and a red, evil glow in his eyes, "Big Bopper, go and wreak havoc all over Angel Grove."

Big Bopper nodded, "I will, my Master," he said in an aggressive voice. "I will not fail you."

King Mondo chuckled as Bulk left the throne room; victory would finally be within his reach.

* * *

Completely unaware of King Mondo's plan, Rocky stretched in his hospital bed and sighed, his gaze briefly drifting to the IV that was in his hand giving him fluids. It was all part of the routine that he had endured ever since surviving childhood cancer; once a year, he was admitted to the hospital for a weekend and put through a barrage of tests to make sure that he was still cancer-free.

As long as he was quiet, Rocky had been given permission to venture out of his hospital room when there was no medical staff needing him for tests. He slowly got out of bed and briefly gazed at the cotton balls taped to the crook of his left arm before grabbing the IV pole and leaving the room.

A few on-duty nurses gave Rocky smiles as he walked down the hallway with only loose scrub pants and a hospital gown covering his body, "…Laura, I'm scared," a tiny voice suddenly said from a nearby room.

"Why are you scared, sweetie?" Rocky heard Laura ask in a gentle voice. "Everything's been arranged."

There was a faint cough, "Okay, Ashley, you need to go back to sleep for a while," Rocky heard Laura say in a gentle voice. "The sooner you get better, the sooner you can come to live at Doctor Oliver's house."

"I like Doctor Oliver," Rocky heard Ashley reply in a tired voice. "He's really nice and talks nice to me."

Rocky heard Laura chuckle, "I'm going to step out for a moment while you sleep," she said gently.

As footsteps came towards the door, Rocky immediately searched for a place to hide, but was immediately spotted by Laura as she came out of the room, "Rocky?" Laura asked, surprised to not only see him there, but dressed in hospital clothes and holding an IV pole. "What are you doing here?"

"You can't tell anyone else you saw me here," Rocky replied anxiously. "They think I'm out of town."

Laura nodded, "I had cancer when I was a little kid and survived it," Rocky explained in a nervous voice as they moved away from the door. "Because of the cancer, though, I have to go to the hospital for one weekend every year and undergo a lot of tests to make sure that I don't have a recurrence of it. I chose to do it this weekend because of the blood drive since I can't donate any blood anyway and I'm scared."

"No!" a voice suddenly yelled from inside the hospital room. "No, I don't want to lose my sister!"

Laura's eyes widened and she rushed into the room, unaware that Rocky had followed her, "Ashley, you're having a bad dream," Laura said as she gently shook Ashley's arm. "Ashley, honey, wake up."

Ashley opened her eyes, "I dreamt that some crazy lady came here and tried to take you away from me," she explained in a scared voice, suddenly noticing Rocky. "Hey Laura, who's the cute guy?"

"Ashley, this is my friend, Rocky," Laura replied in a gentle voice. "Rocky, this is my sister, Ashley."

Rocky smiled, "Thanks for thinking I'm cute," he replied in a kind voice. "How do you like…"

Suddenly, Kimberly and Prince Sprocket appeared in the hospital room, "Ah, a couple of Power Rangers and a cute little girl!" Kimberly crowed as she walked over to Laura. "I see you're still hanging around."

"What do you want, Kimberly?" Laura asked, desperate to protect Ashley even without any powers.

Kimberly chuckled, "I want to fight you to the death!" she crowed in an amused voice. "I know of a lovely little canyon just outside of town where we can have a good fight and finish this forever."

"Is this really over how you think Tommy and I are dating?" Laura asked in a semi-amused voice.

Kimberly scowled, "Tommy will be dealt with after I have finished you off completely," she hissed as she raised her hand and prepared to snap her fingers. "I think we should get this little fight underway."

Before Laura could reply, she, Ashley, Rocky, Kimberly, and Prince Sprocket vanished from the room.

* * *

"_What on earth have you guys been doing in here?"_

"_I don't know what happened, Uncle Frank. Adam fainted just as I was coming to spar with Mark."_

"_Adam, Adam, can you hear me? It's Doctor Oliver, Adam."_

Adam opened his eyes and saw Dr. Oliver's face hovering over his, "I must have passed out because I donated blood earlier and didn't eat," Adam lied in a faint voice as he felt himself being sat up slowly.

"Here's the juice you asked for," Ernie said as he came over to them holding a large glass of apple juice with a straw in it. "Do you want one too, Mr. Lee Scott? I know you're working, but still…"

Thomas smiled, "I'm afraid I can't take any breaks today," he replied apologetically as he wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Adam's arm and squeezed the rubber part. "How are you feeling, Adam?"

"A little shaky," Adam admitted in a tired voice wanting nothing other than to lie back down and sleep.

Thomas studied the blood pressure reading and released the cuff, "Jason mentioned that you, he, and Tommy gave some blood at the community drive earlier," he stated as he unwrapped the cuff from Adam's arm and returned it to the medical bag. "Did you rest and eat something afterwards, Adam?"

Adam immediately looked at the floor, "No," he admitted quietly. "I figured that I didn't need to."

"Adam, you seem like a good kid, but you have to take care of yourself better," Thomas replied in a concerned voice, realizing that he had discovered another one of Jason and Malcolm's friends who had grown up in an abusive situation and was acting somewhat self-destructively to deal with the pain.

Adam nodded and was very surprised when he felt a blanket being put around his shoulders, "I won't take you in to the hospital this time, Adam," Thomas stated in a gentle voice as he got to his feet and picked up his medical bag. "I do expect you to take better care of yourself, though, okay?"

"Yes sir," Adam replied, feeling too embarrassed to look up at Thomas. "Thanks for helping me."

Thomas nodded and looked at Frank a moment before leaving, "Adam, I want you to take this and drink all of it, okay?" Frank said as Ernie handed him the glass of juice. "I have to go talk to someone."

Adam slowly sipped the juice as Tommy came over and knelt beside him, "Jason and Mark decided to spar in one of the training rooms with David as a spotter," Tommy explained calmly as Ernie moved back towards the counter. "Jason and I tried to warn you about eating after you gave blood, but…"

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

Tommy quickly looked around to make sure nobody was nearby and then lifted his Zeo Communicator to his face, "What's wrong, Alpha?" he whispered in a concerned voice as he looked at the tired Adam.

"Tommy, I need you, Adam, and Jason to teleport to the Command," Zordon replied. "Hurry."

Quickly looking around to make sure nobody was watching, Adam and Tommy teleported away.

A moment later, Dr. Oliver, who had apologized to her for their breakfast meeting falling through due to Adam's poor health, returned and was shocked to find that nobody was there. _Where was everyone?_

Just as Frank was debating whether or not to go back home and rest, he suddenly vanished into thin air.

* * *

Screams filled the air as Big Bopper entered the high school gym and began punching every piece of furniture in sight whether it was beds, chairs, or the IV stands that held empty bags. The food table, however, was spared and Big Bopper immediately began to devour what was left on the table.

Mr. Caplan, who had taken over running the drive after donating and resting so that Katherine and Tanya could take a well-earned break, wandered over to Big Bopper and gave him a mean glare.

"Look here, you puffy white thing," Mr. Caplan stated in an authoritative voice. "Stop that right now!"

Big Bopper turned towards Mr. Caplan just as Katherine and Tanya came into the gym to get Malcolm, who was sitting up on a cot and medically cleared to leave after donating and having a few cookies and a couple of boxes of apple juice. At seeing the monster, Malcolm immediately got to his feet.

Not wanting anyone to see them morph, Katherine, Tanya, and Malcolm slipped into the weight room just as their Communicators went off, "Katherine, Tanya, and Malcolm, my sensors tell me that there is a disturbance at Angel Grove High School," Zordon's voice stated. "Are you three in need of backup?"

"Zordon, what is that thing?" Tanya asked in a worried voice. "It just seems to be interested in eating."

Malcolm's jaw dropped as the being suddenly turned and swung a boxing glove at Mr. Caplan, effectively knocking the aged principal to the floor unconscious, "Uh, Zordon, it seems to be interested in punching people too," he said in a worried voice, mentally preparing himself to morph.

"There is another crisis that I must send Jason, Adam, and Tommy to attend to at this time," Zordon replied in a concerned voice. "After that crisis is resolved, I will send them to assist you at the school."

Suddenly, Big Bopper vanished with his mouth full of unchewed food, leaving a giant mess, a small group of very scared people, and Mr. Caplan unconscious on the floor. Malcolm silently groaned.

"Zordon, that thing just disappeared," Malcolm said in a worried voice. "What do we do now?"

Before Zordon, could reply, Malcolm, Katherine, and Tanya suddenly vanished from the weight room.

* * *

Tommy, Adam, Malcolm, Katherine, Tanya, and Jason touched down and found that they were in a deep canyon that had a strange rock formation on one end of it that led up to a precarious drop off. They were horrified to see an amused looking Kimberly standing at the top of it while a terrified looking Ashley and an angry looking Rocky were bound together by rope and hanging over the cliff's edge.

"Welcome to my arena, Rangers!" Prince Gasket said in an amused voice as he came out of a nearby cave with a dagger in his small hand. "As you may have already guessed, there is going to be a fight today, but not the one you expected. I have dealt with my nosy little brother and with your mentor."

Tommy frowned, "Who are you and what have you done with my uncle?" he asked angrily.

"Oh ho!" Prince Gasket crooned in an amused voice. "My name is Prince Gasket and I am the first born son of King Mondo. While it is very nice to meet you, I am afraid we must get to the fight at hand."

Kimberly cackled and jumped off the cliff, landing perfectly on one side of the arena in fighting stance, ready to destroy Laura for good.

An explosion suddenly caused dust to fly out of the cave, "NO!" Prince Gasket yelled angrily. "THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!"

"You brought this on yourself," an angry voice said as the six Rangers suddenly heard footsteps.

A moment later, Laura emerged from the cave helping a battered Dr. Oliver to walk straight, "How on earth?!" Prince Gasket yelled in an angry, shocked voice. "I had you both in a shock box that was supposed to drain your energy and make you evil! I put it together myself!"

Laura was silent for a moment and then uncurled her fists to reveal a badly damaged Eagle Coin in her shaking hands, "I sacrificed my Ninjetti Powers to save Doctor Oliver and destroy it," she replied as she threw the Coin at his feet and gently eased Dr. Oliver to the ground.

"You are weak!" Prince Gasket scoffed in a shocked voice. "That is impossible! Ninjetti is just a legend!"

Prince Gasket suddenly roared angrily and waved his dagger, which was a silver flute, "You forced me to use it and I didn't want to!" he shouted as a pile of decimated Cogs appeared at his metallic feet. "I summon Big Bopper to decimate you and your weak Ranger friends!"

"Foolish boy, did you really think you could try and steal my plan?" King Mondo asked as he suddenly appeared with Prince Sprocket at his side.

Not wanting to deal with his father, Prince Gasket scowled and promptly disappeared, "Now Sprocket, let's get on with this fight between Kimberly and Laura," King Mondo said in an authoritative tone as he brought his staff down on Dr. Oliver's chest, rendering him immobile. "I've got many things to do today."

Rocky swallowed hard and watched as Tommy, Jason, Adam, Tanya, Katherine, and Malcolm took out their Zeonizers and prepared to Morph, but were unable to, "Nice try, Rangers!" Prince Sprocket crowed in an excited voice. "If you join in the fight, you can't use your powers! Either you help as you are or leave!"

Tommy, Malcolm, Jason, Adam, Tanya, and Katherine gathered in a group to decide how to handle this; they couldn't leave Rocky, Ashley, and Dr. Oliver helpless, but they would need some sort of plan to rescue them and try to help Kimberly; there was no choice but to join the fight as they were and hope that all would be well.

* * *

_**Please read and review!**_


	34. Downward Spirals

"_Laura, remember what I gave you," Laura heard as Trini suddenly came out of the shadows._

_Laura sighed, "I gave it to Jason like you told me to," she replied. "I also gave up my powers."_

"_I know," Trini replied, smiling gently at her forever friend. "You didn't give up your powers, though."_

_Laura frowned, "I used the Ninjetti Coin to destroy that machine so Doctor Oliver wouldn't die," she explained in a worried voice. "All of the power was in that coin and I gave that power up willingly."_

"_Silly girl," Trini replied, smiling as she took Laura's hands. "You still have power inside of you."_

_Laura was silent as an image of Kimberly standing before Tommy, Jason, Adam, Katherine, Tanya, and Malcolm appeared in front of her, "Can Kimberly be saved?" she asked in a worried voice. "I know that Tommy still has a love for Kimberly and that Jason, Adam, and Katherine also miss her very much."_

"_Kimberly is blinded by her jealousy," Trini stated in a sad voice. "She has become unrecognizable."_

_Trini was silent for a moment and then released Laura's hands, "Do what you have to do," she said in a worried voice as she took a step back. "Kimberly does not believe you will make a move against her."_

"_I don't want to," Laura replied in an anxious voice. "I don't enjoy hurting people that are my friends."_

_Trini shook her head, "Do what you have to do," she repeated softly. "It may be hard, but do it."_

* * *

"Laura, are you okay?" Katherine asked, suddenly seeing Laura's pain-filled expression

Laura blinked and looked around, realizing that they were still in the canyon, "I can't fight you, Kimberly," she said, gazing at the girl who used to be her friend. "I can't fight a friend."

Kimberly chuckled darkly, "Oh, that's okay, we're not friends," she replied as she walked close enough to Laura that they were almost touching one another. She then delivered two swift slaps to Laura's face.

"Kimberly, what are you doing?" Tommy asked in a shocked voice, immediately coming to Laura's side.

Kimberly glared at Jason, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen," she commented in an amused voice as she reached for Tommy, only to have him take her hand in his own and hold it. "Let go of my hand."

As Tommy and Kimberly stared at each other, neither unsure of what to do, Laura quietly slipped away from the two and stood against the rocks, gazing up at where Rocky and Ashley were hanging together.

Prince Sprocket was watching Tommy and Kimberly and King Mondo was focused on making sure that Dr. Oliver stayed where he was, so nobody but Jason, Tanya, Adam, Malcolm, and Katherine noticed that Laura had begun to scale up the rock face. Rocky was even too busy watching Ashley struggle.

"I love you, Kimberly," Tommy said as he continued to hold her hand. "Please try to remember…"

Kimberly's eyes narrowed and she jerked her hand out of Tommy's grip, promptly giving him a dropkick to the chest which sent him backwards into Jason, Katherine, Tanya, Malcolm, and Adam.

"Tommy, are you okay?" Jason asked in a worried voice as he knelt down next to his injured friend.

Malcolm suddenly gave Kimberly a very fierce look, which Kimberly laughed off, "Your powers will not work here," she commented in an amused voice. "You're not a superhuman prince, Malcolm."

Malcolm swallowed hard and suddenly raised his hands above his head in a diving motion and without warning, the ground began to quake uncontrollably. Laura suddenly found herself at the top of the cliff, just above where Ashley and Rocky were dangling. Prince Sprocket whimpered and darted off.

Kimberly snarled and immediately moved closer to Malcolm, "Your powers aren't a match for me!" she yelled as she aimed a dropkick at Malcolm, deeply infuriated when he blocked it and shunted her back.

"I'm scared," Ashley whimpered as she watched Malcolm and Kimberly engage in small, yet very fierce hand-to-hand combat, unaware that Laura was working on untying her and Rocky from the ropes.

Malcolm reached his hand out to Kimberly and was surprised when a bone-shaped weapon appeared in her hand and she brought it down on his wrist hard, rendering it useless, "Kimberly, stop!" Katherine said in an anxious voice as she rushed to Malcolm's side. "Can't you see what you're doing is wrong?"

"What's wrong is that I invited too many of you to the party," Kimberly hissed as she suddenly began to feel tired and took a step back towards King Mondo. "What's happening? I'm losing my powers!"

King Mondo harrumphed, "If you Rangers want to see your mentor alive again, you'll bring the blood from your blood drive to the place indicated on this map," he hissed as a map suddenly appeared in his hands and he threw it to the Rangers. "We must bid you farewell for now, but we shall meet again."

"Uncle Frank!" Tommy yelled as King Mondo, Prince Sprocket, and Kimberly vanished with Dr. Oliver.

Malcolm gazed down at his wrist, which was starting to swell, "Aw man," he said in a faint voice, trying his best to block out the pain he was feeling. "Kat, I think my wrist is broken. Kimberly broke my wrist."

"What do we do now?" Tanya asked in a worried voice. "We have to go after King Mondo."

Jason looked up and saw Laura helping an untied Ashley up the rock while Rocky slowly climbed up the rope to get to the top, "We should get Laura and Ashley to safety first," he said in a worried voice.

As Rocky reached the top, Laura did an extraordinary jump down to the bottom of the canyon and immediately walked over to Malcolm and Kat, "Let me see your wrist," Laura said, suddenly remembering what Trini had said to her. Malcolm winced, but silently offered his shaking hand to her.

Laura gently touched his wrist and suddenly felt a surge of power shoot through her. The swelling in Malcolm's wrist suddenly went down and Malcolm gasped, shocked when he could move his hand.

"What happened?" Jason asked, suddenly noticing the shocked looks on Malcolm's, Kat's, and Laura's faces as Malcolm flexed his wrist without wincing. "Malcolm, wasn't your wrist broken just now?"

Malcolm nodded and Laura suddenly backed away, "I have to go," she said in a nervous voice, suddenly feeling very unsafe and very uncertain around the Rangers. "Ashley, honey, let's get out of here."

"Are these guys Power Rangers?" Ashley asked in a shocked voice. "Are you a Power Ranger, Laura?"

Laura suddenly looked very afraid, but before she could think of what to say, Jason's Zeo Communicator suddenly went off, "Jason, you and the other Rangers must teleport to the Command Center immediately," Alpha's voice spoke. "Zordon says for you to bring Laura and Ashley with you."

"Who's Zordon?" Ashley asked in a confused voice. "That name sounds really important."

Laura sighed, "Ashley, honey, stay close to Rocky or Tommy, okay?" she said in an anxious voice as she moved away from Jason, Tommy, Kat, Tanya, Adam, and Malcolm. "I'm not coming with you guys."

"If you go hunting down King Mondo yourself, he'll kill you," Adam protested. "Why not come with us?"

Laura reached down and picked up the map, "Someone has to serve as the distraction," she replied in a nervous voice as she unrolled the map. "You guys can work out a plan with Zordon and then come."

"This isn't a good idea," Tommy protested, frowning at Laura. "You could get seriously hurt."

Laura gave Tommy a look, "I'll be all right," she replied. "Ashley, go with the others. I love you."

"Love you too, Laura," Ashley whimpered as she clung to Rocky, not wanting to show her fear.

Jason swallowed hard, looking very much like he wanted to say something to try and get Laura to change her mind, but the look on her face silenced him. Instead, he turned to the others.

As Jason, Tommy, Kat, Adam, Malcolm, Tanya, Rocky, and Ashley teleported out of the canyon, Laura checked the map and began to walk in the direction that it indicated. She was unaware that Rito, who had been alone since Goldar and Scorpina had gone to Africa to kidnap Billy as an ally, was hiding in a nearby cave and had seen the entire exchange between her, Ashley and the other Zeo Rangers.

"Wow, Rita will want to see this for sure!" Rito commented in an excited voice. "Laura's tough!"

* * *

"That was a COMPLETE waste of that machine!" King Mondo roared indignantly as he faced Big Bopper, who was still stuffing his face with food he had stolen from the blood drive. "You're a waste!"

Kimberly, who was now on her knees due to her lack of energy, scoffed, "What do you expect from someone like Bulk?" she hissed in a tired voice. "All Bulk knows how to do is eat and fight people."

"Transform him back to his human self and put him in the dungeon with that annoying man that mentors those Zeo Rangers," King Mondo ordered as two Cogs came in with a struggling Dr. Oliver between them. "Ah, Doctor Oliver, I presume? Now that I have you, where is your black Gem?"

Dr. Oliver spat at King Mondo, "I destroyed it," he snapped in an angry voice. "You have nothing."

"I have your brains and your blood," King Mondo replied in a vengeful tone. "If you don't tell me the truth about what you did with the Gem, I will torture you and take your blood for Kimberly's sake."

Again, Dr. Oliver spat at King Mondo, but King Mondo snarled and immediately delivered a sharp strike to his left leg, triggering a loud cracking sound, "I'll break the other leg if you don't speak up," King Mondo instructed in an angry voice. "Very well, Doctor. Cogs, you may now put him through torture."

As Dr. Oliver was dragged out of the throne room, Klank gave Big Bopper a mighty shove into the machine, slamming the door on the terrified overweight creature, "When he's transformed back into a human, send him to keep Doctor Oliver company in the torture chamber," King Mondo stated. "Those Zeo Rangers are no doubt planning something to try and rescue their mentor. I must make a plan."

* * *

"Prince Zedison would be in here," Billy stated in an anxious voice, not liking the fact that he was having to pretend he was allied with Goldar and Scorpina. "His name is Mark Hillard and he's blind, remember."

Goldar nodded and gazed at the exterior of the Youth Center, "How would a blind person know how to get in and out of here?" he scoffed in an annoyed voice. "I can't believe Ivan made our prince blind!"

"…Thanks for being understanding, David," Mark's voice suddenly filtered outside. "I don't mean to drag you away from the Youth Center on such a busy day, but I just get so tired so easily since the…."

There was a chuckle, "Seriously, Mark, don't worry about it," David's gentle voice replied. "I understand you get tired really fast and I'm actually wanting a bit of a nap anyway before I have to go to work."

David and Mark came outside and David was shocked to see Billy, Goldar, and Scorpina blocking their path, but Mark kept sweeping his cane for a clear spot to step, "Prince Zedison, we've come to take you home with us so you can regain your throne!" Goldar proclaimed. "Billy has helped us find you!"

Swallowing hard, Billy reached out to grab Mark's wrist, but found his own wrist grabbed by David, who suddenly looked very angry, "I thought you were Mark's friend," David said in an angry voice.

"I have no friends," Billy said in an angry voice. "I am only here to help get Prince Zedison home."

Mark immediately took a step back, "I know all about you, Mark Hillard," Goldar hissed angrily.

"I can't even see who's talking to me," Mark replied in a scared voice. "Is Billy really here?"

David released Billy's hand and stepped back so he was closer to Mark, "Mark, grab my arm," David said in a nervous voice. "Billy, you and your gold friends had better get out of here before the Power Rangers show up. I am sure they would be less than pleased to see that you are acting in such a manner."

"The Power Rangers are useless," Billy scoffed indignantly. "They don't have the power that I have."

Billy chuckled, "I have the gift of seeing where they are and they don't know where I am," he replied in an amused voice. "I have an image in my mind of Laura going to save Doctor Oliver all by herself…"

"Doctor Oliver is in trouble?" David asked in a concerned voice. "Why is Laura looking for him alone?"

Scorpina grinned, "No doubt that King Mondo saw the value in kidnapping Doctor Oliver," she commented in an amused voice as she leered at David and Mark. "I mean, he's known about those pesky Power brats for a long time and is probably a very good friend and mentor to them all."

Mark suddenly swallowed hard and closed his eyes, causing the ground to suddenly tremble and debris to fall from trees, "What's happening?" Goldar yelled in an anxious voice. "Make it stop!"

Suddenly, Goldar, Scorpina, and Billy disappeared from view and Mark passed out in David's arms.

* * *

"What was that quake?" Rocky asked in an alarmed voice as he got up from the floor of the Command Center and immediately turned to see if Ashley was still on the cot. "That was pretty freaky."

Katherine sighed and immediately got up from the console she had been thrown against when the sudden earthquake hit, "My sensors tell me that Goldar and Scorpina have convinced Billy to join them in their quest to re-establish Rita's legacy," Zordon reported. "They went after an innocent civilian."

"Not just any civilian," Jason, who was nearest to the Viewing Globe said solemnly. "Mark Hillard."

Katherine's eyes widened, "Why would anyone want to hurt Mark?" she asked in a shocked voice.

"Mark is fine, Katherine," Zordon suddenly interrupted. "Goldar, Scorpina, and Billy have fled."

At the mention of Billy, Jason's eyes widened in shock, "Billy's working with Goldar and Scorpina against us?!" he asked in an alarmed voice. "Why would Billy want to work with them to hurt people?"

Tommy, who had been quiet since they had all teleported to the Command Center, suddenly sat down on the cot next to Ashley and put his head in his hands, "Do you think Goldar, Scorpina, and Billy are working with King Mondo and the Machine Empire?" he asked. "Why did King Mondo take my uncle?"

"King Mondo seems to think that your uncle has powers to aid the Machine Empire in taking over the world with evil," Zordon explained in a concerned voice. "You are all here to make a rescue plan."

Ashley suddenly looked scared, "Laura's following the map that King Mondo left," she said in a worried voice as she struggled to ignore the pain in her weak body. "She said that she had to distract him."

"I should go and help Laura," Malcolm spoke up in a worried voice. "She…she healed my wrist, Zordon."

Adam suddenly looked worried, "Zordon, what if Billy, Goldar, and Scorpina try to stop Laura from finding Doctor Oliver?" he asked as he walked over to the Viewing Globe. "She has no powers."

"Did she give them up to look after me?" Ashley asked in a scared voice. "I remember waking up in the hospital in Los Angeles and Laura said that she was going to take care of me better than our parents."

Tommy lifted his head and looked at Ashley in surprise, "I didn't know you were awake at all in the hospital in Los Angeles," he replied in a surprised voice. "Did Laura really say that to you?"

"Laura told me all that in the letter she wrote me," Tanya spoke up in a nervous voice. "She told me that trying to heal from her bad experiences and helping Ashley was more important than being a Ranger and that someone who would be better with the Zeo Power should take control of it."

Alpha suddenly came out of the Chamber of Light, "Zordon, the Super Zeo Gems are ready," he announced in an excited voice. "With the new powers, the Rangers should be successful."

"Whatever those are will have to wait," Jason said as he suddenly saw Billy, Scorpina, and Goldar approach Laura in the Viewing Globe. "We have to go help Laura against Billy, Scorpina, and Goldar."

Tommy nodded and stood up, "Ashley, you'd better stay at the Command Center with Zordon and Alpha," he said, not wanting anything to happen to her. "Just lie on the cot and take it easy."

"Zeo Ranger One, Pink!" Katherine yelled, smiling as her pink bodysuit and helmet appeared.

Tanya waved her Zeonizers and clicked them together, "Zeo Ranger Two, Yellow!" she yelled.

"Zeo Ranger Three, Red!" Rocky yelled as he connected his Zeonizers together quickly.

Adam quickly connected his Zeonizers, "Zeo Ranger Four, Green!" he yelled anxiously.

"Zeo Ranger Five, White!" Tommy yelled in a determined voice as he connected his Zeonizers.

Jason stepped back and connected his Zeonizers, "Zeo Ranger Six, Gold!" he yelled firmly.

"Zeo Ranger Seven, Blue!" Malcolm said in a determined voice as he connected his Zeonizers.

* * *

"Billy, when did you get back from Africa?" Laura asked in a curious voice as she quickly pocketed the map so she wouldn't lose it. "Who are the gold people with you and why are you here?"

Billy chuckled as he moved towards her, "I am here to see you," he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders, making it impossible for her to move. "I was wondering how you and Ashley were."

"I never mentioned Ashley to you," Laura said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable by how close he was to her and the fact that he had a red gleam in his eyes. "Billy, I'm getting really uncomfortable here…"

Goldar hurried over to the two, "Goldar!" Laura said in a shocked voice, immediately recognizing the monster who had left a disgusting kiss on her cheek long ago. "Billy, what are you doing with him?"

"He told me that you have no powers," Goldar sneered menacingly. "Why are you all alone?"

There was suddenly a flash and Billy was dismayed to see the seven Zeo Rangers in the canyon and coming up behind Laura, "She's not alone," Jason said in a menacing voice as he brandished his golden scepter. "You really have changed, Billy. I'm really surprised that you've chosen to work with Goldar."

_I didn't choose this; it chose me. _Billy thought to himself, "If it's a fight you want, Rangers, it's a fight you'll get," Goldar stated menacingly as he brandished his sword at Jason. "We are prepared."

Suddenly, Rito appeared and looked surprised to see Goldar, Scorpina, and Billy facing off with the seven Zeo Rangers and Laura, causing Billy to release Laura and push her right into Jason's arms. Laura immediately smiled at Jason before moving out of the way to let the two sides battle it out and choosing to focus her attention on a cave that seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere. What was in it?

* * *

"Mmmmm…."

Bulk's eyes slowly opened and the first thing he saw was a rock wall; he was against a rock wall.

"…Ahh!"

The pained groan immediately prompted Bulk to look around and his eyes suddenly caught sight of a limp form lying on a table in the corner of the room pinned down by chains. Bulk frowned and slowly walked over to the table, horrified out of his mind when he saw Dr. Oliver laying there badly beaten with blood all over his clothes and a large needle sticking into his arm that was attached to a large tube.

"Doctor Oliver?" Bulk asked, concerned by how pale Dr. Oliver looked from losing so much blood.

There was silence and Dr. Oliver's eyes slowly fluttered, "Who's there?" a faint voice replied.

Silently fighting the urge to swear, Bulk put his hands on the needle and carefully eased it out of Dr. Oliver's arm, leaving a large gash. He quickly removed his bandana and tied it around the wound.

"You have to wake up," Bulk said as he began gently slapping Dr. Oliver's face, "Please don't die!"

* * *

"Why did the blood machine stop?" Kimberly asked, suddenly disturbed by the fact that the hose connected to the needle in her arm had stopped sending blood into her body. "King Mondo!"

Quickly tiring of the demanding human, King Mondo turned to Kimberly and sighed, "You have enough blood for now, my dear," he said in a tone he hoped would placate her. "We'll kill Doctor Oliver right after he gives us the black gem and all the information he has about the Zeo Power Rangers."

Kimberly scoffed, but her eyes suddenly widened, "I see images in my mind of Goldar and Scorpina with Billy," she said in an awed voice, suddenly feeling evil power surge through her. "They're in a fight with the Zeo Rangers and the leader of the Zeo Rangers is Tommy; he fancies that little goody-two-shoes."

Suddenly, a pocket of steam rose from King Mondo's head and he vanished, "Ah ha ha!" a menacing voice suddenly said through the smoke. "I have finally bested my father and will now take over!"

"Oh no, it's Gasket!" Prince Sprocket whined as the smoke cleared and Prince Gasket stood there with his wife, Archerina, by his side. Gasket chuckled menacingly when he saw Kimberly lingering nearby.

Queen Machina shuddered, but said nothing as Gasket was ignoring her for the time being, "I believe you are that Kimberly that my father has talked about, yes?" he asked in an amused voice. "I have no use for you right now, my dear, so go and guard the prisoners! I have other work to take care of."

Deeply confused about what was going on, Kimberly nodded and silently hurried out of the room.

* * *

"Fools," Billy hissed as he paced back and forth in front of his former friends. "A pack of fools."

Tommy sighed, "Billy, why did you switch sides?" he asked in a worried voice. "We didn't expect…"

"I didn't expect to be told I couldn't have a Zeo Power!" Billy yelled, cutting him off. "I've been a Power Ranger since the beginning and after I destroyed the Orb of Doom, I was cast out like a piece of yesterday's trash by Zordon and Alpha! You all celebrated getting the Zeo powers and left me alone!"

Tanya and Katherine looked at each other and back at Billy, "Billy, why didn't you tell any of us that you weren't happy about not receiving powers?" Katherine asked in a surprised voice. "We could have…"

"You could have what, Katherine?" Billy sneered. "Zordon already had his mind made up about me!"

A loud cackle suddenly filled the air, "That's right, Billy," a menacing voice sneered. "You got cast out and you willingly gave yourself over to Goldar and Scorpina! Now, it's our turn to bring you home!"

"What?!" Billy replied in an anxious voice, suddenly realizing that his plan had worked too well.

Goldar chuckled and he and Scorpina grabbed Billy's arms to keep him from escaping, "Say goodbye to your friends, Billy!" he chanted in an amused voice. "Your plan failed and you will never be free!"

"Billy!" Jason yelled, suddenly realizing that Billy had been faking his anger. "Let him go, Goldar."

Goldar, however, growled and roared as he and Scorpina disappeared with Billy in their grasp.

* * *

"YOU!" Kimberly yelled angrily as she entered the torture chamber and saw Bulk trying to undo the chains that bound the unconscious Dr. Oliver to the table. "What are YOU doing down here?"

Bulk looked surprised at seeing Kimberly, "Kimberly, Doctor Oliver's hurt and we have to get him out of here before those metal monsters find us!" he said in an anxious voice. "Help me with these chains."

"Doctor Oliver can wait, Bulk," Kimberly hissed as she marched over to return the needle to his arm.

Suddenly realizing that Kimberly was having fun seeing Dr. Oliver suffer, Bulk grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the table so that Dr. Oliver wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Kimberly snarled and pushed him back hard, not caring at how shocked he looked over her sudden change in personality.

"Kimberly, what are you doing?" Bulk asked, not wanting to hurt her. "This isn't like you at all!"

Kimberly chuckled, unaware that Laura had entered the cave-like structure and was now coming into the torture chamber from an outside passage, "It is exactly like me," she replied darkly. "I was abandoned by my family and friends. I have nothing to do but making other people miserable."

"That's not true, Kimberly," Laura said as she moved around to where Kimberly and Bulk were standing and gently placed her hands on Kimberly's shoulders. "You have a young man who loves you."

Kimberly suddenly groaned as she felt memories of Tommy surge through her and Laura groaned as she felt the dark power enter her own powerless body, "You think that's going to be enough?!" Kimberly yelled as she pulled away, whirled around, and delivered a sharp knuckle to Laura's pale face.

Laura knew immediately that the connection had been broken and that her healing touch hadn't been able to help Kimberly like it had helped Malcolm, but before she could comment, the seven Zeo Rangers entered the torture chamber. Bulk's eyes widened at the sight of them and he immediately whimpered.

"G-Get Doctor Oliver and Bulk out of here," Laura said as she turned away from the Rangers so that none of them would see that she had been traumatized by some of the dark power inside Kimberly.

As Bulk suddenly fainted from shock, Malcolm and Rocky immediately hurried over to Laura, "You tried to heal Kim, didn't you?" Rocky asked in an alarmed voice as he saw nothing but pain in Laura's tired eyes. "Kimberly, seriously, why would you want to harm anyone who claims to care about you?"

"Kim, please, listen to me," Tommy said as he walked over to his former girlfriend. "I care about you."

Kimberly snarled, "None of you do," she replied viciously as she picked up the bloodstained needle that was attached to the machine that drained blood from Dr. Oliver. "Your precious mentor has given me blood that I need to help King Mondo and will soon die from the torture courtesy of the Cogs!"

"Tommy?" Dr. Oliver suddenly asked in a faint voice even though his eyes remained closed.

Tommy immediately removed his helmet and moved to his uncle's side, "You have to get Mister Bulkmeier out of here and come back for me," Dr. Oliver said in a faint voice. "Some robot with a frown broke my leg and some robots chained me here and beat me up a bit. I can't get out of here alone…"

"Tommy, teleport out with your uncle and Bulk right now," Jason stated in a concerned voice.

Tommy nodded and quickly pressed a few buttons on his Zeonizer before placing a protective hand on his uncle's shoulder. As the three teleported from the dungeon, there was a low, amused chuckle.

"Well, well, well," Prince Gasket said in an amused voice as he walked into the room. "Power Rangers."

* * *

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!


	35. The Darkness Within

"…This just in: local school counselor, Doctor Frank Oliver, was kidnapped and tortured by Angel Grove's newest villains, King Mondo and the Machine Empire," the voice of a TV announcer filtered into Ms. Appleby's ear as she washed dishes in the kitchen of her small apartment. "Fortunately, Doctor Oliver was rescued and taken to safety by the Power Rangers. Doctor Oliver is currently at Angel Grove Hospital receiving treatment for his injuries and neither he nor his relatives are available for comment…"

Ms. Appleby's eyes widened and she moved away from the sink, not caring that her hands were covered in soap suds as she hurried over to the TV. She shut it off and quickly wiped her hands on her apron.

She had known Frank ever since high school, Ms. Appleby reflected as she removed her apron and put it back on its hook; they had lost touch when Frank had moved away, but they had quickly resumed their friendship when Frank had moved to Angel Grove with his nephew, sharing lunch together often.

Ms. Appleby sighed; she should drop her housework and go over to the hospital to see if Frank or Tommy needed anything while they were there. Swallowing hard, she hurried towards the garage.

* * *

"Are you cowards, Rangers?" Prince Gasket crooned as he paced back and forth in front of Adam, Jason, Rocky, Tanya, Katherine, Malcolm, and Laura. "Why don't you demorph and show your true selves?"

Kimberly, who was lingering beside Gasket, snorted, "They are cowards, your grace," she replied in an amused voice as she moved closer to the group. "I know each of their identities and can tell you…"

"Silence!" Prince Gasket hissed, suddenly glaring at Kimberly. "You are a former Power Ranger!"

Kimberly looked disgusted at the mere thought, "They abandoned me and Rito Revolto rescued me!" she replied in an angry voice as she moved next to Laura. "I was all alone with very little strength and it was those who I thought were my enemy that helped me. Rito and King Mondo saved my life."

"Kimberly, we didn't abandon you!" Laura, who remembered the whole incident very well, cried as she tried to move away and quickly found herself in a headlock by Kimberly. "If this is all about the past…"

Kimberly snarled as Adam approached them and tried to break them up. Adam moved forward and was shocked when Kimberly kicked him in the chest, sending him backwards into Rocky and Malcolm.

"This is highly amusing, but I have to get back to the palace and take over ruling the Machine Empire," Prince Gasket replied, deeply amused by the fact that Kimberly continued to choke Laura. "As much fun as it is to see you inflict pain on another, Kimberly, I declare you to be useless to my plan! Off with you!"

Kimberly screamed as she suddenly vanished, "Now then, I have preparations to make!" Prince Gasket yelled in an excited voice. "Enjoy your powers while you have them, Rangers! They will soon be mine!"

"We're not afraid of you!" Adam snapped in a trembling voice. "We're the Power Rangers!"

Gasket cackled and quickly waved his hand, which appeared to be holding something, "Now get out of here so I can formulate the plan of the century!" he snapped in an amused voice. "I must think alone!"

There was a loud clap of thunder, a flash of light, and then suddenly, everything went black.

* * *

"Adam?"

Out of instinct, Adam jerked away as he felt someone touch his forehead, "Jason, unwrap that blanket and cover your friend with it," he suddenly heard a concerned voice say. "Adam, can you hear me?"

Adam slowly opened his eyes and was deeply unnerved when he saw Thomas kneeling beside him looking very concerned, "I heard you passed out again shortly after I left, so after I took Doctor Oliver to the hospital, I decided to come back," Thomas explained in a worried voice. "Did you drink that juice?"

Deeply unnerved by what Gasket might have done to him, Adam quickly sat up and came face to face with Jason, who was in his karategi and placing a blanket over his legs. Adam could see a concerned looking Katherine, Malcolm, and Tanya standing with Mark and Ernie near the fully stocked Juice Bar.

"I thought David was sparring with Mark?" Adam asked in a groggy voice. "They were just a few…"

Jason sighed, "David went to the hospital to be with Tommy and Doctor Oliver nearly an hour and a half ago," he explained in a concerned voice. "Mark was tired of sparring and David's going to get him later."

"Adam, you seem like a good kid, but you have to take care of yourself better," Thomas replied in a concerned voice, realizing that he had discovered another one of Jason and Malcolm's friends who had grown up in an abusive situation and was acting somewhat self-destructively to deal with the pain.

Adam nodded and placed a hand on his forehead, still dazed from the experience with Gasket, "I'm still really lightheaded," he said in a faint voice as he lay back down and closed his eyes. "I'm so tired."

"Okay, I'm making a judgment call," Thomas interjected softly. "I'm taking you to the emergency room to make sure that you're okay. Jason, Malcolm, why don't you come with me and help with Adam?"

Even though he could feel movement around him, Adam mumbled in the affirmative and allowed his body to relax into a sleep state. He was so exhausted and chilled from the encounter with Gasket.

"I'm gonna hang out here with Mark and Tanya for a while," Katherine said as she looked at Malcolm, who looked almost heartsick at Adam's predicament. "Let us know when we can come see Adam."

Malcolm nodded and promptly blushed when Katherine kissed his cheek, "Be careful out there," she whispered into his ear. "Gasket's still on the loose and we really don't know what he's capable of."

Malcolm smiled and silently walked over to his uncle to help him and Jason with Adam. Katherine looked at Tanya worriedly and Tanya put a reassuring arm around her as Adam was strapped to a backboard.

"Kat, can I talk to you?" Mark asked nervously, suddenly feeling very unsure of what had happened earlier with the people who had tried to attack him and David outside the Youth Center. "I was leaving the Youth Center with David a while ago and Billy tried to attack me with some friends of his…"

Katherine turned and gave Mark an alarmed look, "Billy tried to hurt you and David?" she asked.

"Yeah, I don't know much of what happened," Mark replied softly. "I sorta passed out after that."

Katherine frowned and immediately hugged Mark while Tanya looked horrified, "Maybe I'm just overwhelmed about Mum and Dad," Mark said in a tired voice. "I'm just so tired today, Kat."

"Why don't we go hang out in the park?" Tanya spoke up eagerly. "It's a beautiful day out there."

Mark sighed and nodded, "Maybe feeling the sunshine will give me some energy," he replied sadly.

Katherine sighed and put an arm around her brother, "How about a milkshake before we go out?" she suggested, hating that Mark was feeling so upset all the time. "It'll help give you some energy."

"Yeah," Mark replied as he gripped his cane. "Can you and Tanya help me get to the counter, please?"

Katherine smiled and Tanya gently placed her hand in Mark's. The three slowly made their way over to the counter as Thomas and his paramedic partner wheeled Adam out of the Youth Center on a gurney.

"We have to tell Zordon about Prince Gasket," Jason murmured as he and Malcolm followed Thomas.

* * *

"…Mister DeSantos?"

Rocky groaned as he lifted his head and quickly realized that he had fallen asleep on the rail that was protecting Ashley from falling out of bed. He saw that Ashley was sound asleep in bed and that an amused looking nurse was lingering near the door holding a medical chart in her manicured hands.

"I came in here to visit a friend's sister and I must have fallen asleep," Rocky commented in an apologetic voice as he straightened up. "Does the doctor want to do more tests on me?"

The nurse nodded and Rocky stood up, "I promised Laura that I'd stay with her sister until she got back from the cafeteria," he explained, not surprised to see that Laura wasn't back. "She's been awfully…"

"Oh, are you talking about that girl who's talking to Lieutenant Stone downstairs?" the nurse asked as Rocky walked around the bed. "She woke up in the park looking kind of beat up not too long ago."

Rocky frowned; Gasket must have sent Laura to the park not knowing that Alpha had brought Ashley back to the hospital without detection earlier. What damage had Kimberly done to Laura, though?

"If you'd like, we can go by the emergency room and check on your friends before going to the blood lab," the nurse offered, seeing how worried Rocky looked about his friends. "Shall we?"

Rocky sighed, "Ashley's gonna be upset if she wakes up and someone isn't here," he replied sadly.

"Well, it's just some more blood that the doctor needs, so I can always draw it here," the nurse stated in a gentle voice. "Just sit tight, Mister DeSantos, and I'll get the supplies I need to draw your blood here."

Rocky nodded and smiled at the nurse as she left the room. He then went back to sitting in the chair at Ashley's bedside and pulled his communicator out of his sock. It was time to tell Zordon about Gasket.

* * *

The sight of Dr. Oliver laying still on a gurney in a hospital gown and covered with a blanket while his left leg was in a cast and resting on a fluffy pillow caused Bulk to cringe as he waited at the desk for someone to pick him up. Bulk could also see several IV lines in Dr. Oliver's arms and hands as well as a large bandage covering the area where the needle had been to take blood for Kim's benefit.

Bulk swallowed hard; he could have gotten out earlier like Dr. Oliver wanted him to, but at what cost?

A large hand gently touched his shoulder, but Bulk ignored it as he studied the monitor next to Dr. Oliver's bed and was heartsick about how beat up Dr. Oliver looked, "Bulk, what are you doing here?" Tommy's gentle voice suddenly filtered into his ear. "I thought Skull wasn't allowed any visitors."

Bulk turned and was dumbfounded at the sight of Tommy and David, "The Power Rangers rescued Doctor Oliver and I from some creepy dungeon," he stated in an anxious voice. "Kimberly was there and she didn't help him at all and tried to beat me up when I pulled the needle out of Doctor Oliver's arm…"

David and Tommy exchanged a concerned look and Bulk immediately turned away, "People aren't gonna believe that I was there too and that Kimberly was doing something to hurt somebody else," Bulk commented nervously. "I'm gonna go home and see if it isn't too late to sign up for military school…"

"What is Skull gonna say when you just take off?" Tommy asked in a concerned voice. "He'll be upset."

Bulk shrugged, "Once he gets new bone marrow, he's probably gonna be so busy with his honors classes that he won't have time to hang out with me anymore," he replied. "Anyway, I have to get going."

Tommy watched with concern as Bulk walked off through the emergency entrance, nearly running into Thomas, Jason, and Malcolm, who were coming in with a gurney that contained an unconscious Adam.

"Jason, Malcolm, stay in the waiting area," Thomas said as he helped hurry Adam off into the hospital.

Jason nodded and immediately caught sight of Tommy and David, but before he could speak, he saw a distressed looking Laura walk into the waiting room with a concerned looking Lt. Stone at her side. It was then that Jason noticed that his mother was also in the waiting room looking very compassionate.

"What's your mom doing here, Jason?" Malcolm asked, frowning as he watched Laura talk to Mrs. Lee Scott with an anxious expression on her face. Jason immediately frowned and gave Malcolm a look.

Malcolm sighed, "It's a habit of mine," he replied apologetically. "It's difficult for me to let go."

A soft groan suddenly filled the air and Tommy immediately turned to the bed just as Dr. Oliver's eyes slowly opened, "Uncle Frank?" Tommy asked in an anxious voice. "Uncle Frank, how are you feeling?"

"Very tired," Frank replied in a faint voice as he looked up at Tommy. "Are you and David all right?"

Tommy nodded, "I need you, Adam, and Laura to take care of yourselves until I'm released from the hospital," Frank stated in a faint voice. "Ashley will be released soon, but I made other arrangements…"

"Jason saw Laura in the waiting room with his mom and Lieutenant Stone," Tommy commented.

Frank nodded and sighed, "My house is no place for Ashley until she's physically well," he replied in a faint no-nonsense tone as he gripped the blanket with his left hand. "She needs better care for now."

"Uncle Frank, Adam was brought in by Jason's dad," Tommy explained. "He wasn't feeling well…"

Suddenly, Ms. Appleby came into view and hurried over to Frank's bedside, "I heard on the news that you had been attacked, Frank," she said in a worried voice as she took his hand. "How are you doing?"

"I'm pretty tired," Frank replied softly. "If the Power Rangers hadn't come, I would have been done for."

Ms. Appleby nodded, "That King Mondo fellow sounds scary," she commented as she continued to hold his cold hand in her own warm one. Oh, you'll be happy to know that the blood drive finished well."

"Oh man, I was gonna come and donate," Frank replied tiredly. "I was just so relieved it was Saturday…"

Ms. Appleby smiled, "On my way here, I stopped by the school and told Mister Caplan what happened to you," she explained gently. "There's enough blood from the drive to help a lot of people…"

"The purpose of the drive was to see if someone would be able to help Mister Skullovitch," Frank commented softly, suddenly realizing that David and Tommy were still there. "David, Tommy, I need to get some rest and talk to Miss Appleby before I'm moved to a different place in the hospital, so…"

Tommy nodded, "David and I were thinking of getting some dinner anyway," he replied. "See you."

As Tommy and David walked off, Jason, who had overheard the conversation between Dr. Oliver and Ms. Appleby, frowned and slowly looked around for a hospital staffer. Almost immediately, a nurse came to the desk with a smile on her face that faded a bit when she saw how concerned Jason looked.

"I was wondering if you could help me." Jason asked the nurse. "I want to help a sick friend if I can…"

* * *

As the nurse removed the needle and taped a cotton ball to his arm, Rocky sighed and looked at Ashley, who was now awake, "Needles suck," Ashley commented in a tired voice. "Did it hurt a lot, Rocky?"

"Nope," Rocky lied, wanting to be brave for Ashley's sake. "Getting needles doesn't ever hurt me."

Ashley nodded and smiled, "Thanks for sitting with me," she replied. "Laura's been with me a lot and…"

"Ashley, we need to talk," Laura said, cutting Ashley off as she suddenly entered the room with Jason's mother and Lt. Stone behind her. "Rocky can stay if he wants, but you're not coming to Doctor Oliver's with me when you get out of the hospital. You need more care than I'm able to give you right now."

Ashley frowned at the sight of Jason's parents, but said nothing, "You remember my friends, Jason and Malcolm?" Laura asked as she gestured to Jason's parents. "Mister and Mrs. Lee Scott are going to let you stay with them until you're well enough to be able to do basic things without a lot of help. Mister Lee Scott is busy working, but Jason's mom wanted to meet you and get to know you a little bit."

"Doctor Oliver is willing to take care of me even though he's gotta go to work!" Ashley protested sadly.

Laura sighed, "Ashley, Doctor Oliver was injured by a mean robot named King Mondo today," she replied as she backed up towards the door. "The Lee Scotts will be able to take care of you better…"

There was an awkward silence and then Laura swallowed hard, "Anyway, I should go and see about getting some dinner," she said, wanting Ashley to get to know the Lee Scotts and learn to trust them.

"Rocky, can you go make sure my sister's okay?" Ashley asked, suddenly worried about Laura's mood.

Rocky nodded, stood up, and quickly left the room, leaving Ashley alone with Helen. Ashley stared up at Lt. Stone and Helen in wonder; were some adults really kinder and gentler than her parents?

* * *

Adam watched as Thomas talked with a doctor just outside of the trauma room, but he could only see the concerned expressions on their faces; he couldn't make out what they were saying about him.

A nurse suddenly touched his forehead and Adam froze, "…Adam, are you all right?" she asked in a gentle voice as she looked at him. Adam silently nodded and clung to the blanket covering his waist.

There was a small silence and them Adam sighed, "I'm feeling a lot better," he said in as brave a tone as he could muster as he gazed up at the nurse. "Can't you just give me my clothes and let me leave?"

The nurse said nothing, so Adam sat up and pushed the blanket away, "Look, I'm not going to be held prisoner in the hospital," he said anxiously. "Where are my clothes and my stuff? I want out of here."

"Adam, hold on," Thomas said as he opened the door and entered the room. "You need to stay here."

Adam shook his head and instinctively took a step back with his hands raised, "Adam, I know what you've been through and I know you don't trust a lot of people," Thomas said as he sat down on the stool next to the empty gurney to give Adam space. "I've been a paramedic for a long time and I've seen a lot of people suffer from situations like what you've been through. Why don't you come sit down?"

Before Adam, who was very confused by Mr. Lee Scott's gentle personality, could reply, the door opened and Malcolm came into the trauma room, "Uncle Thomas?" Malcolm asked softly. "Jason wants to talk to you at the admit desk for a minute about something important. I can stay with Adam."

"All right, Malcolm," Thomas replied as he stood up, a little worried why Malcolm was suddenly referring to him as 'uncle' again even though they had adopted him. "See you in a few minutes."

Malcolm was silent as Thomas left the room followed by the nurse, "I heard you were in here and decided to see what I could do to help you," Malcolm explained. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Since when did you start acting so standoffish?" Adam asked, concerned. "Calling Jason's dad 'uncle'?"

Malcolm sighed, "I'm really missing my parents, dude," he replied softly. "You can't tell Kat, though."

"Can you help me get out of here?" Adam asked nervously. "I hate hospitals with a passion."

Malcolm chuckled and took a seat on the stool, "I spent quite a bit of time in the hospital when I first came to Angel Grove, so I agree," he replied calmly. "Even though it was nearly a year ago, I still can't remember a lot of what happened except that I woke up in the hospital with really serious injuries."

"Didn't Doctor Oliver help you, though?" Adam asked in a worried voice. "How can you not…"

Malcolm sighed, "I should stop grieving and act like an adult," he replied. "It's not fair to Jason or his parents for me to keep expecting attention. I have a responsibility to find my own way in the world."

"If you're still grieving, Malcolm, you should tell someone," Adam stated, seeing Malcolm's sadness.

Malcolm, however, was silent and looked at the floor and all Adam could do was gently pat his shoulder.

* * *

"Well, well, well," Rita hooted with glee as she came out of her underground cavern boudoir and saw that Kimberly and Billy were unconscious and tied together in the middle of the room while Goldar and Scorpina stood over them. "I thought that Kimberly and Billy were still Power Rangers, Goldar?!"

Goldar shook his head, "Billy's been in Africa with Zack and a civilian friend and Kimberly's been a prisoner of the Machine Empire for a long time," he replied. "We found Kimberly a few days ago on a beach and she had apparently been abandoned by the Machine Empire and left to die in the water."

"Excellent," Rita replied as her gaze shifted to the perfectly round boulder that sat upon a destroyed cairn at the far end of the room. "Lock them away for the moment and help me figure out a plan to get my Moon Palace back from those pesky metal heads that call themselves the Machine Empire!"

Goldar grinned, "We could always kidnap Prince Zedison and help him to remember his place in your kingdom now that you have returned," he stated earnestly. "I am sure that you and Lord Zedd…"

"Did someone speak my name?" Lord Zedd spoke as he suddenly came out of a nearby chamber and saw Kimberly and Billy in the middle of the floor. "Goldar, did I hear you mention my precious son?"

Scorpina nodded, "He is a blind mortal named Mark Hillard who lives in Angel Grove with Princess Katherine, another girl named Tanya, and a young man named David Trueheart," she commented in a gleeful voice. "Goldar and I tried to get access to Prince Zedison with Billy's help, but…."

"The time is not yet right to force Prince Zedison to remember!" Lord Zedd roared menacingly. "Besides, while Rita and I were away, we learned of the rules of Zedison's power! Zedison must unite with the other half of his power source in order for the memories of Rita's spell to resurface effectively."

Goldar sighed, "We do not yet know where the other half of the power source is, Lord Zedd!" he replied.

Lord Zedd roared, grabbed Rita's wand, and shot a bolt of red light at the boulder. The boulder suddenly glowed and faded into something that resembled a crystal ball. Rita grinned when an image of Malcolm and Adam appeared in the ball and appeared to be what looked like a very clean hospital room.

"The other half of that power source that came to Earth nearly a year ago is none other than Malcolm Lee Scott of Angel Grove!" Zedd grunted, deeply infuriated. "Zordon had Tommy use the last of his Green Ranger power to alter Earth's history for Malcolm to fit in! There is nothing to reverse that!"

Rita's eyes widened, "I knew it!" she crowed. "I knew that there was something odd about Malcolm!"

"Malcolm?" Kimberly's voice suddenly asked even though she remained asleep. "Where's Malcolm?"

Rita suddenly looked amused, "We can use Kimberly and Billy to get a hold of Malcolm!" she crowed.

"Not a bad thought, Rita," Zedd replied in an amused voice. "Malcolm's got a desire to help everyone he can get through their problems while neglecting himself. He'll rush to help Kimberly and Billy…"

Rita nodded, but suddenly sneezed, "We have to figure out how to take back our Moon Palace," she pouted as she hugged herself to keep warm. "It's horribly cold down here and I hate it!"

* * *

"…Jason, if you really want to do this, I have no problem with giving consent," Laura and Rocky heard Thomas say nearby. "You do realize that you're going to have to take it easy for a few days after?"

Not wanting Thomas or Jason to see her in such a worn out state, Laura looked at Rocky, "I have to go," she said in a nervous voice as she edged towards the emergency room door. "Ashley's in good hands and I have to figure out what I'm going to do now that I have no responsibilities other than school."

"Are you sure you should be alone right now, Laura?" Rocky asked nervously. "You need rest."

Laura shook her head and immediately rubbed her bruised throat, "I don't want to be around anyone right now after being hurt by Kimberly," she replied in a whispery voice. "I just want to be alone."

"Where are you going to go?" Rocky asked in a worried voice. "It's starting to get dark out there."

Laura sighed, "Rocky, it doesn't matter," she replied, not wanting to tell him that Kimberly's evil energy was threatening to force her to harm the Rangers every moment she was near them. "I have to leave."

Before Rocky could reply, Laura rushed out of the hospital so she wouldn't hurt him. She could feel the evil power slowly taking away her energy and gentle nature and she had to get away; very far away. The Zeo Rangers had their own lives, Laura thought; they didn't need to worry about her.

* * *

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	36. United to Destroy

Bulk was never early for school before Skull got sick, but with Skull unable to attend classes, there was no reason for him to be late anymore.

To keep Skull off his mind, Bulk had decided to come into the school through a side door and lift weights until the bell rang. He didn't expect to see Malcolm in the weight room walking on the treadmill in workout clothes with hands holding a book in front of him.

"What do you want, Bulk?" Malcolm snapped as he spotted Bulk near the door. "I'm busy here."

Bulk looked surprised at Malcolm's sharp tone of voice, but before he could reply, Rocky and a tired looking Adam came into the weight room in their workout clothes. They both smiled at Malcolm, but he paid no attention to them and continued reading. Adam and Rocky exchanged a concerned look.

"Hey, Malcolm, can we join you?" Adam asked in a kind voice. "We want to work out a bit."

Suddenly, a lean young man dressed in dark purple and white sweats, shoes, and a fancy silk t-shirt strutted into the weight room and immediately glared at Malcolm, "Get off of my treadmill, freak," he hissed as he stalked over to the treadmill. "This has been MY treadmill ever since the first day…"

"You can use it when I'm done," Malcolm replied, not taking his eyes off the book. "I have to learn this."

The boy suddenly looked angry and grabbed the book out of Malcolm's hands, "It's a piano book!" he said in an amused voice as he waved it around. "I didn't know you had feather fingers on top of a feather brains, Malcolm! You're such a skinny geek and now you need to get off my treadmill!"

"Give that book back please" Malcolm said in a tense voice as he quickly pressed the stop button.

The boy cackled and threw the book into the corner of the room, "The name's Shawn and now that I've got your attention, I want to fight you," Shawn replied nastily. "I read in the paper last summer that you were a champion fighter and I saw your little demo with Rocky DeSantos last fall. Let's go at it!"

"No thanks," Malcolm replied as he got off the treadmill. "You can have the treadmill now, Shawn."

As Malcolm moved towards his book, Shawn grabbed his arm, "Come on!" Shawn whined. "Fight me!"

Malcolm suddenly froze and gave Shawn a death glare, "I suggest you let go of my arm now," he hissed.

Shawn hooted, let go of Malcolm's arm, and promptly lunged at Malcolm, tackling him to the ground.

* * *

"Gasket darling, what does the telescope show?" Archerina asked as she came into the throne room after shutting Queen Machina and Prince Sprocket up in the Mechno-Dungeon. "I'm very curious."

Prince Gasket chuckled as he continued to look through the telescope at the Earth, "It seems that my father's hostage, Doctor Oliver, has a nephew who nobody had any idea about," he replied in a gleeful voice. "That nephew looks like a goody two shoes and could also possibly be a Zeo Power Ranger."

"Should we send the Cogs to capture that nephew?" Archerina asked in an amused voice.

Prince Gasket was silent for a few moments, "No, that would create too much of a disorganized ruckus," he replied as he stepped away from the telescope. "I think we ought to organize some sort of event that will bring all those Rangers and their disgusting friends together and then we go after that nephew!"

An alarm suddenly went off and Gasket turned back to the telescope, "Oh ho!" he crowed. "A fight!"

Archerina quickly joined Gasket at the telescope, unaware that Klank had managed to escape from the cell with the help of Orbus and was now en route to Earth to try and get help to fight Gasket's rule.

* * *

A colorful poster caught Tommy's eye as he opened the side door to the school and he was intrigued about what exactly a 'Mystery Night' was; it talked about how people who wanted to participate could sign up to dress up fancy, meet at an old mansion at the edge of town, and solve a horrific murder for a small fee.

"Tommy, if you look at every poster on the doors and walls, you'll be late for your first class," Tommy suddenly heard the gentle, amused voice of his uncle say. "You can close the door now. I'm inside."

Tommy looked away from the poster and saw that his Uncle Frank was now standing inside the school on his crutches with his trenchcoat over one shoulder, leaving his khakis, cast, dress shoe, and his white collared shirt uncovered with the arrowhead, which was no longer holding the gem, around his neck.

"…Doctor Oliver, please report to Mr. Caplan's office immediately," a voice suddenly boomed out of the small circular intercom that was just above Dr. Oliver's office doorway. "Doctor Oliver, please report…"

A loud crash and equally loud chanting suddenly filled the hallway, "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" several voices roared enthusiastically, prompting Dr. Oliver and Tommy to move as fast as they were able towards the source of the noise. As they turned the corner, they saw a large crowd of students gathered in a circle in the student foyer including Jason, Katherine, Adam, Rocky, Tanya, and a shocked Bulk.

There was a loud shout and suddenly footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway, "…THAT IS ENOUGH FROM BOTH OF YOU!" Mr. Caplan's angry voice suddenly echoed down the quiet hallway.

The crowd immediately scattered, revealing an angry Shawn and a beat-up looking Malcolm wrestling on the floor with scratches and bruises on their bodies and rips on their clothes, "SHAWN AND MALCOLM, STOP THAT FIGHTING THIS INSTANT!" Mr. Caplan yelled angrily as he approached the two.

Malcolm suddenly stopped and pushed Shawn off of him. Even though he was breathing really hard and looked as if he needed medical attention, he quickly got to his feet and bolted off down the hallway.

"What happened?" Tommy asked before he could stop himself. "Malcolm doesn't usually fight."

Adam sighed and held out Malcolm's piano book, "Malcolm was walking on the treadmill and reading this when Shawn came in and started bothering him," he explained, handing the book to Tommy.

"That's no excuse for fighting in the school hallways!" Mr. Caplan cut in angrily as he glared at Jason out of spite. "Please inform your cousin that I will be informing your parents of this fight and that he has detention after school as well! Doctor Oliver, I want to speak with you in my office privately please."

Dr. Oliver sighed and took his satchel from Tommy, "You kids had better get ready for class," he said in a worried voice. "Jason, why don't you go talk to Malcolm? Let Malcolm know I want to talk to him."

Jason nodded and was silent as Dr. Oliver followed Mr. Caplan down the hallway, "Here, let me help you," Tanya said in a gentle voice as she offered her hand to Shawn. "Malcolm got mad over a book?"

As Jason walked off in the direction that Malcolm had gone, Shawn took Tanya's hand and allowed her to help him stand up, "Why don't I walk you to your locker and you can tell me what happened?" Tanya suggested, not sure if the fight had really been Shawn's fault like Malcolm had said. "My name's Tanya."

"Adam and I just said what happened," Rocky interrupted. "Adam and I saw the fight ourselves."

Tanya narrowed her eyes at Adam and then returned her gaze to Shawn. Rocky rolled his eyes as Tanya and Shawn moved off down the hallway towards the lockers, but Kat sighed and looked really worried.

"Why is Malcolm acting so angry today?" Katherine asked in a worried voice. "He's usually really calm."

Tommy sighed and shrugged, "Maybe he's nervous about Valentine's Day," he replied. "On my way into school this morning, I saw a poster advertising a murder mystery night that's gonna be on Valentine's Day and all the proceeds from registration fees will go to fixing up the Angel Grove Shelter."

Katherine smiled, "I should ask Malcolm if he wants to be my date for that," she suggested happily. "It might cheer him up to have plans on Valentine's Day."

* * *

"Pukey little power brats!" Rita hissed as she turned away from her 'magic globe' in disgust. "I should disrupt their little Valentine's Day Party with my own chaos! Unfortunately, I can't make a monster without Finster's lab and that's in my castle! I can't get my castle back without the help of my son!"

Zedd groaned from the rock he had chosen to use as a bed, "Oh, give it a rest," he grunted tiredly.

Rita was silent for a moment and then looked back at the globe, "Perhaps I can send Kimberly and Billy to infiltrate the little party and get Malcolm alone!" she said gleefully. "After I have Malcolm as a prisoner, I can send Goldar and Scorpina to get Zedison and bring him back for reprogramming!"

Screams filled the chamber and Rita could hear gleeful laughter, "Will you two stop torturing the prisoners and get in here now?!" she yelled angrily. "I need you to go and spy on my Zedison!"

"It seems we have a common goal," Klank stated as he suddenly appeared before Rita. "I am Klank."

Rita glared at Klank, "As much as I hate the Machine Empire right now, I want to get my Zedison back from those pesky Power Rangers!" she hissed. "Ivan Ooze robbed him of his eyesight and his magic!"

"Well, Prince Gasket wants tae Zeo Ranger Five, otherwise known as Tommy Oliver," Klank stated in a firm Scottish accent as he stood before Rita. "Tommy's uncle has access to power that is needed."

Rita looked amused, "What would you want with a simpleton like Tommy when Malcolm's power is beyond this world?!" she hissed in an amused voice. "With Malcolm's power, I can capture Mark Hillard and force him to remember his rightful place as Prince Zedison. The Rangers can then be destroyed."

"Anythin to get that crazy Gasket out of power," Klank stated worriedly. "Who is Mark Hillard, though?"

Rita rolled her eyes, groaned, and turned away from him, "I have a headache," she groaned softly.

* * *

Soft sniffling greeted Jason as he entered the bathroom and saw that Malcolm was nowhere to be seen.

"Malcolm?" Jason asked in a concerned voice as he heard another sniffle. "Malcolm, are you in here?"

There was another sniffle, footsteps, and a small click, "I'll come to class in a minute, Jason," Malcolm replied in a soft voice, leading Jason to suspect that Malcolm was crying. "Go on ahead, okay?"

"Okay," Jason replied as he took a few steps, opened and closed the door to make it sound like he left.

The stall door opened and a red-faced Malcolm came out with fresh tears on his face, "Jason, I thought you left?" he asked, suddenly spotting Jason near the sink. "I just need a little time alone right now."

"Mister Caplan gave you detention after school," Jason replied softly. "What's going on with you?"

Malcolm sighed, "My birthday's on Valentine's Day and it's the first year that my parents won't be here to celebrate it with me," he replied softly. "Don't tell Uncle Thomas, but I picked music appreciation as one of my electives this semester and I found one of my dad's old music books in your garage over Christmas when I was trying to see if there were extra shelves for my things. I've always loved piano."

"My dad wouldn't be mad at you for that," Jason replied softly. "He'll be upset about the fight, though."

Malcolm nodded and looked down at the sink, "It's not like me to get aggressive," he replied in a voice full of deep shame and regret. "I just figured when I stopped having nightmares, I was all better."

"You stopped seeing Doctor Oliver too soon, I think," Jason commented. "You're still grieving."

Another tear slipped out of Malcolm's eye, "It's not normal," he hissed. "I can't be still grieving."

"It's been less than a year, man," Jason replied softly. "I still grieve over my little sister sometimes."

Malcolm looked up at Jason in shock, "That was your demon on Phaedos, wasn't it?" he asked.

Jason nodded and sighed, "Maybe after detention's over, you could try and catch Doctor Oliver at his office about some more counseling?" he gently suggested. "I'll smooth things out with our parents."

"Okay," Malcolm replied with a sigh. "We should probably get to class before the bell."

Even though he knew Malcolm still wasn't okay, Jason nodded, "I think Adam's got your music book, by the way," he stated as the two left the bathroom. "He picked it up while you and Shawn were fighting."

"Malcolm, are you okay?" Katherine asked as she and Mark suddenly came down the hallway. "Mark and I just got to school when Rocky and Adam told us that you had been in a fight with another boy."

Malcolm sighed, "Jason, I'm gonna go get my books and go to class," he said, avoiding Kat's gaze.

"Is Malcolm okay?" Katherine asked, gazing at Jason as Malcolm walked off down the hallway alone.

Mark was silent as Katherine and Jason talked; over the past several days, he had been suffering strange nightmares of a man in a silver ninja suit and a man in a black Power Ranger suit fighting in an arena with a foggy floor that resembled a dungeon. A woman with a spiky head had been taunting them.

"Mark, are you all right?" Katherine asked, suddenly realizing that Mark had gone very quiet.

Jason looked at Mark in concern, "I'm all right, Kat and Jason," Mark replied softly. "Just a bit tired."

"David and Tanya came earlier than we did this morning and Mark forgot to set his clock," Katherine explained as she gently ruffled Mark's hair. "Mark, why don't we get your books and then go to class?"

Jason bit his lip as Katherine and Mark walked away; what was happening to their little group of friends? It seemed like reality was draining everyone.

* * *

"…I really don't know what to tell you," Dr. Oliver stated as he shifted his casted leg forward while sitting in the visitor's chair in Mr. Caplan's office. "I saw Laura around the house after school and whenever I asked her how her day was, she said it was fine and then went off to do something while I rested."

Mr. Caplan sighed, "I don't blame you, but where on earth could she have been going during the day instead of coming to school for the past few days?" he asked. "Laura's been a model student thus far."

"I told the Lee Scotts that Laura could only visit Ashley after school, so she couldn't have gone there," Dr. Oliver replied in a concerned voice. "If Laura was sick, she should have told me or Ms. Appleby."

Mr. Caplan harrumphed, "About you and Ms. Appleby, Doctor Oliver," he stated. "Remember…"

"Yes, I know," Dr. Oliver replied softly. "Any in-school association is to remain strictly professional, including the lunches we share in the staff room."

Mr. Caplan nodded, "Whatever you two do after hours is your business, however," he commented in a slightly reassuring tone. "Anyway, back to Miss Hammond. I am very concerned about her welfare."

"I'll talk to my nephews and see if they can go looking for her after school today," Dr. Oliver replied in a reassuring voice even though he had no idea where to start looking. "Have you told the Lee Scotts?"

Shaking his head, Mr. Caplan picked up the receiver, "I will mention it when I phone them about the fight that Malcolm was in and after I explain about his detention today, I will mention that Laura's not been to school and to keep an eye out for her," he replied. "Did you want to run detention today?"

"Yes, that will give me a chance to keep an eye on Malcolm," Dr. Oliver replied as he slowly used his crutches to pull himself into a standing position. "Anyway, I'll get out of your way. See you later."

Mr. Caplan nodded and Dr. Oliver silently hobbled out of the office, not stopping until he got back into the safety of his counseling office at the far end of the school. He sat down at his desk and quickly opened the drawer where he kept a small communicator that Alpha had given him long ago.

Ignoring sudden pain in his leg, Dr. Oliver took the device out and sent a small message to Zordon that Laura had suddenly disappeared and that he was concerned that King Mondo might have hurt her.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the canyons just outside of Angel Grove, Laura quickly extinguished the fire that she had made the night before to keep warm and to also ward off danger. Once there was enough dirt and rocks covering it, she stood up and rolled up the sleeping bag she had 'borrowed' from Tommy's room; she carefully tied it to the top of the survival backpack she had taken from her home back in Los Angeles.

"…I can't believe Rita's making us live in an underground cave!" Laura suddenly heard from nearby.

Frowning, Laura put her pack on and slowly made her way out of the small grove where she had been living since she had run away. She immediately saw Squatt, Babboo, and Finster walking through a bigger canyon towards a small, very eerie looking cave that had a spiderweb net over the front of it.

"…SQUATT, BABBOO, FINSTER!" Rita's very angry voice filtered out of the cave. "I NEED YOU NOW!"

_Rita's back? _Laura thought worriedly, too focused on the scene before her to notice that Billy, who had been sent out by Rita to spy on her after discovering her presence in the nearby area days ago.

"Laura?" Billy asked in as innocently as possible as he tapped on her shoulder. "Laura Hammond?"

Quickly recognizing Billy's voice, Laura quickly turned around, "Billy, what are you doing here?" she asked in an anxious voice, wondering if someone had sent Billy to look for her. "You look tired."

"I am actually doing some camping out here until I can figure out what to do with my life," Billy replied, wanting to look and sound as innocent as possible. "Would you care to go on a hike with me?"

Laura suddenly saw that Billy's eyes were glowing a faint red, but was too late to stop him from grabbing her arm and pulling her close, "Empress Rita will enjoy seeing you again," he hissed as they vanished.

A moment later, Laura found herself face to face with Rita, Goldar, and Scorpina in a cold cave, "Well, well, well," Rita chanted in an amused voice. "Laura Hammond; the nosy little Yellow Ninja Ranger!"

Laura remained silent and Rita cackled and waved her wand, causing Kimberly to immediately appear.

"I want you and Billy to tear this little Powerless Ranger apart!" Rita cackled as Billy hurried into the chamber and joined Rita, Kimberly, Goldar, and Scorpina. "Then I'll send the pieces back to Zordon!"

Laura backed up and suddenly felt Goldar's arms wrap around her, "Going somewhere my dear?" he asked in an amused voice as he sank his claws into her arms. "You can't defeat us as you are now!"

Kimberly stepped forward and Goldar pushed Laura into her, "You little goody-two-shoes," Kimberly snarled as she forced Laura into an empty area of the cavern. "Once I defeat you in battle, there will be nothing to stop Tommy from welcoming me back into his life. He thinks he has to protect you."

"Kim, please, you should talk to Tommy yourself," Laura said anxiously. "You already tried to kill me."

Rita suddenly looked amused and waved her wand, "Magic wand, so dark and sweet, send Laura back to Angel Grove to die and make Kimberly and Billy strong enough to ambush the Rangers when they're all together!" she yelled angrily as she waved her wand at Kimberly, Billy, and Laura. "BE GONE!"

* * *

Detention was quiet, Malcolm thought, as he entered the assigned classroom and saw that Shawn was seated on the counter by the window reading a comic book and listening to music on headphones.

Letting out a sigh, Malcolm took a seat in the desk closest to the door, set his backpack on the floor beside him, and opened it to see what homework he could do while he sat quietly in detention.

For a few minutes, all was quiet and then suddenly, the door opened again and Bulk came into the room with his backpack and he immediately stared at Malcolm. Bulk was still staring at Malcolm speechlessly when Dr. Oliver hobbled into the room with his satchel in hand and took a seat at the front desk.

"Malcolm, could you come up to my desk please?" Dr. Oliver asked gently. "Farkas, please take a seat."

Malcolm quickly stood up and walked up to Dr. Oliver's desk, "Malcolm, I was wondering if you could write an essay about what happened today including why your personality was so unusual?" Dr. Oliver asked in a low voice that neither Shawn nor Bulk could hear. "When it's finished, you can go home."

"Yes sir," Malcolm replied before quickly retreating to his desk and pulling a notebook from his bag.

Dr. Oliver opened his satchel and pulled out a book that Ms. Appleby had bought him while he had spent a full day recuperating in the hospital. He opened it and quietly read while watching Malcolm, Shawn, and Bulk kept themselves busy. There was nearly 45 minutes of quiet before Malcolm stood up.

"I'm finished, sir," Malcolm replied as he carried a small sheaf of papers up to Dr. Oliver's desk and set them down neatly on the desk. "Everything's written to the last detail, sir. May I be dismissed now?"

Dr. Oliver raised an eyebrow, picked up the papers, and skimmed through them, "Very nice, Malcolm," he said in a kind voice as he looked up at the tired teen. "Yes, you're dismissed for the day."

Malcolm nodded, returned to his desk, gathered his things, and silently left the room, seemingly unaware that Dr. Oliver was now reading through the essay with a look of concern on his face.

The hallway was very quiet as Malcolm made his way towards the exit; Jason had cancelled his class for the day to volunteer his time at the hospital and he didn't know where everyone else had gotten to.

Bright sunlight shone down on Malcolm as he stepped outside and he was surprised to see an ambulance parked in front of the school with a skinny looking paramedic leaning against it and the doors of the ambulance wide open. Concerned that someone was hurt, Malcolm walked over to offer help.

"Uncle Thomas?" Malcolm asked, shocked to see that his uncle was sitting in the back of the ambulance.

Thomas ignored the 'uncle' comment and he studied his adopted on carefully, "Are you feeling better than you were last night, Malcolm?" he asked in a cheerful voice. "You went to bed right after supper with a headache and I came in to check on you after I talked to Jason, but you were sound asleep."

"Yeah," Malcolm replied nervously. "I had detention and I'm sure Aunt Helen told you about it already."

Thomas nodded and sighed, "Aggressiveness isn't like you, Malcolm," he replied. "What's wrong?"

"My birthday's on Valentine's Day," Malcolm said in a quiet voice. "My parents aren't here for it."

Unable to stop himself, Malcolm suddenly started to cry and Thomas quickly stood up, "It's all right," he said, gently pulling his adopted son into a warm hug. "I miss your father and mother too; I really do."

Suddenly, the panes of glass in the school doors shattered and a large gust of wind almost knocked Malcolm backwards. There was a loud cackle and Laura suddenly appeared and promptly collapsed to the ground in front of the school unconscious with her bag in her hands. Malcolm let out a loud gasp.

"Isn't that a friend of you and Jason, Malcolm?" Thomas asked as they approached the still Laura.

Malcolm nodded, "That's Laura Hammond," he replied softly. "She seems to be in really bad shape."

Thomas nodded and quickly hurried back to the ambulance, leaving Malcolm to watch over Laura.

* * *

"How are you feeling, Jason?" Helen asked softly as she sat beside Jason, who was laying on a hospital gurney on his chest in a gown with a blanket covering his numbed legs that were now bandaged.

Jason sighed, "I hope Skull's gonna be okay," he replied softly. "Otherwise, I'm gonna feel guilty that I couldn't do more. I just had to do more to help him."

"I'm sure your friend will be fine," Helen replied in the same soft voice as she gently stroked Jason's hair to keep him calm. "You were really brave when the doctor took your marrow; you didn't cry once."

Jason chuckled softly, "Mom, they numbed up my legs before they took the marrow so it wouldn't hurt," he replied in an amused voice. "When this stuff wears off, my legs are gonna be sore for a few days and I'll really have to take it easy on other stuff so I can go to that murder mystery thing."

"Are you thinking of asking someone to go with you since it's on Valentine's Day?" Helen asked softly.

Jason blushed, "Good thing Katherine is looking after Ashley today," he murmured. "They'd tease me."

"Speaking of Ashley, dear, have you seen Laura lately?" Helen asked. "She's not been around for a while and Mister Caplan told both Doctor Oliver and us that Laura's not been to school for a few days either."

Jason shrugged, but before he could comment, he saw his father and his father's paramedic partner enter the hospital rolling a gurney that held an unconscious Laura; she was covered by blankets and had an oxygen mask over her very pale and dirty face. They rushed the gurney down a nearby hallway.

"Mom, that was Laura on that gurney," Jason said in a shocked voice. "I should go see what's up."

Helen sighed as Jason lifted his legs and winced, "They're still a little numb, but I can feel them," Jason said as he maneuvered himself into a sitting position. "I have to see if Laura is okay; I'm really worried…"

"Jason?" Malcolm, who had been outside trying to compose himself before coming in to check on Laura, asked as he suddenly spotted his cousin sitting on the gurney. "I thought you were volunteering…"

Jason sighed, "I volunteered my time to donate some bone marrow to Skull," he replied in a tired voice.

Malcolm looked shocked, but didn't say anything, "Malcolm, what are you doing here?" Jason asked.

"I was talking to Uncle Thomas outside of the school after my detention and suddenly, the glass on the front doors of the school shattered," Malcolm replied in a nervous voice. "There was a loud cackle, a huge gust of wind, and then Laura appeared in front of the school and promptly collapsed."

Helen looked horrified, "Jason, just stay there and I'll go see how Laura is doing myself," she said.

As Helen hurried off, Jason looked at Malcolm expectantly, "The cackling sounded a lot like Rita," Malcolm explained in a low voice. "If Rita's back, we're gonna have to deal with her and the Machine Empire and I don't know if we can with what we have. Do you think Rita had Laura as a prisoner?"

"You'd better go tell Zordon about what happened," Jason whispered. "Maybe we can prepare…"

Malcolm nodded, looked around to make sure nobody was nearby, and quickly teleported away. He wanted to talk to Zordon about personal things anyway.

* * *

"You did WHAT, Klank?!" Prince Gasket hissed angrily as the smaller robot trembled before him.

Klank sighed, "I went tae the space witch Rita Repulsa for help in providing a distraction tae the other Rangers so that you can capture Doctor Oliver's nephew, Tommy," he replied. "Tae Rangers are all planning tae be together at that party in a few days and in exchange for Tommy, Rita wants Malcolm because Malcolm's power is the key to reclaiming Prince Zedison to her side."

"If Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd manage to capture Tommy Oliver during that mystery party, I will of course help them to capture Malcolm by separating him from the other Zeo Rangers," Prince Gasket stated in an authoritative tone. "Where is Rita…?"

There was a loud cackle and Rita suddenly appeared, "I assume you have agreed to my plan?" she asked, grinning when Prince Gasket nodded. "It will be easy for me to get Tommy alone at that party and I trust you have a plan to capture Malcolm?"

"Well, my dear Rita, that is why we are meeting now," Prince Gasket replied smoothly. "We need to finalize our plans."

As Gasket laughed, Rita grinned; after she got what she wanted, she planned to trigger the Machine Empire's destruction with Zedison's help and then turn her attention to decimating the Power Rangers. It had been far too long since she had such fun.

* * *

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	37. Heartfelt Horrors

February 14th fell on a Saturday and, after spending five days in the Lee Scott's spare bedroom recovering after being released from the hospital, Laura woke early and the day passed quickly.

Now, as the afternoon was slowly passing, Laura stood in front of the full-length mirror in the master bedroom, admiring the purple dress, shoes, and fancy hat that Helen was lending her for the party.

"What do you think, dear?" Helen asked as she came into the bedroom and sat down on the bed.

Laura sighed and quickly removed the hat, "It's really nice," she replied even though she was worried about how thin she looked in such a fancy dress. "Thank you for lending it to me, Mrs. Lee Scott."

"It's not a problem," Helen replied gently. "Would you like me to do something nice with your hair?"

Laura immediately shook her head and quickly left the master bedroom with the hat in her hand. She immediately ran into Ashley, who was resting on the living room couch in a pair of blue sweats, yellow socks, and a yellow t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail. Ashley's eyes widened at Laura's appearance.

"Do you think Jason's gonna think you're hot?" Ashley asked in an amused voice. "You look nice!"

Laura sighed and gave Ashley a look, "Where'd you learn to talk like that?" she asked tiredly.

"Sorry," Ashley replied softly as Laura came over to the couch and sat down. "Can I come tonight?"

Laura quickly shook her head, "You're a little young to come, Ashley," she replied in a gentle voice.

Ashley pouted, but before she could whine about it, there was a knock at the door followed by quick footsteps. Ashley and Laura watched Helen hurry to the door, check the peephole, and open it.

"Helen!" a cheerful voice suddenly spoke. "I hope you don't mind that Eugene and I are here tonight?"

Helen smiled, "Ashley and I are grateful for the company since Thomas is working and Malcolm, Jason, and Laura are all going to that murder mystery party," she replied softly. "Please come in; both of you."

There was quiet murmuring as people came in and the door closed, revealing Wilma Skullovitch, who was wearing jeans, boots, and a t-shirt and a tired looking Eugene, who was wearing sweats, sneakers, and a loose red t-shirt that was covered by an open hoodie and he had a bandana covering his head.

Ashley immediately bolted off the couch and into Skull's arms, "Eugene, you're okay!" she said in an excited voice as Skull slowly hugged her back. "Mrs. Lee Scott, I had this scary experience a really long time ago where Eugene and I were trapped and he was sick, but the Power Rangers saved our lives!"

"Oh my," Wilma said in a shocked voice as she looked at Eugene. "Eugene, you never told me that."

Skull shrugged as Ashley released him, "It's not really important," he replied. "Can I sit down?"

"Yes, of course," Helen replied in a gentle voice as she gestured to the living room. "Why don't you have a little rest on the couch, Eugene, and I'll make you something warm to drink? Your mom can help me."

Skull nodded and silently walked over to the couch, completely ignoring Laura and Ashley as he made himself comfortable on another section of the couch, "Eugene, remember me?" Ashley asked softly.

"Yep," Skull replied, smiling at Ashley. "I'm not strong enough to go to that murder mystery thing with Bulk tonight, so I asked my mom if we could come here and hang out. You helped me at a bad time."

Ashley smiled and watched Skull slouch, "Jason's mom has been taking care of me since I came to Angel Grove because Doctor Oliver got tortured by some guy named King Mondo," she said in a worried voice, ignoring the shocked look that Laura was giving her. "He sent Laura to stay here too cause she was sick."

"I'm feeling better now," Laura cut in, not wanting Skull to feel sorry for her. "I'm well enough to go to the party tonight, anyway; that is, if Jason and Malcolm ever get ready and if Katherine ever comes."

Skull sighed and fought back a yawn just as Malcolm came into the room wearing a navy blue suit, white dress shirt, navy tie, black shoes, and a navy blue fedora. He smiled at seeing Skull resting on the couch, but turned his attention to Ashley and Laura, as he knew giving Skull lots of attention would annoy him.

"Eugene's gonna hang out here tonight while you take your girlfriend to the big people party," Ashley said in a gentle voice as Laura got to her feet and put the purple hat over her hair. "You look hot."

Laura's eyes widened, but Malcolm merely chuckled, "I hope Katherine thinks so too," he replied in an amused voice. "Jason's almost ready to go; he's just in the bathroom making sure he looks perfect."

_Ding-dong._

"Ah, that must be Katherine and Mark," Malcolm said happily. "I'll answer the door and let them in."

As Malcolm hurried over to the door and opened it, Skull suddenly looked nervous and looked silently at the couch; he hoped that Katherine wouldn't say anything about how mean he had been to Mark.

Malcolm opened the door and was immediately eased against the wall of the foyer in a hug by Katherine, who was wearing a knee length fuschia dress that had a collared neckline and long sleeves with fuschia gloves over her hands. There was a fuschia hat on her head and her hair was in a bun. The entire ensemble was completed by fuschia high heels that had small feathers near the pointed toes.

"Wow," Malcolm commented in an awed voice. "Katherine, you look absolutely stunning in that outfit!"

Katherine smiled, kissed Malcolm's cheek, and stepped back, "Thank you," she replied softly. "I love that navy suit on you, Malcolm." Malcolm grinned and sighed, ignoring the fact that he was blushing.

The bathroom door suddenly opened and Jason, who was wearing dark shoes and a gold fedora with a matching gold suit, came into the foyer. He smiled at Kat and Malcolm before looking at Laura.

"Ready to go?" Jason asked, fighting the urge to tell Laura that she looked amazing in her outfit.

Laura nodded and smiled at Ashley and Skull, "Have fun tonight," she said. "I love you, Ashley."

"Love you too, Laura," Ashley replied softly. "Are you gonna go hang out at Doctor Oliver's after?"

Laura smiled, "I'm not sure what's going to happen after," she replied. "Just relax tonight, okay?"

Ashley nodded and Laura quickly turned away, "Where's Mark?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"Mark decided to wait in the truck with David," Katherine replied gently. "Are we all ready to go?"

Jason and Malcolm nodded, but Laura was silent; she was seriously tempted to back out of this event and stay where there were at least other non-Power Rangers. Jason, Malcolm, Katherine, Tommy, Adam, Tanya, and Rocky were all attending the event and they all had power to protect them, but…

"David's truck only holds four," Laura said in a firm voice. "I'll walk to the party; the house isn't far."

Katherine immediately frowned, "We planned on going together, Laura," she replied worriedly.

Not wanting Katherine to know that she was feeling out of place being their friend now that she had no power, Laura shrugged and moved over to the door, "I'll be fine," she stated. "I'll see you all there."

"I can walk with you," Jason offered in a gentle voice, not wanting anything bad to happen to Laura.

Laura sighed and nodded, "Let's get going," she replied in a terse voice. "Thank you very much, Jason."

* * *

"Tommy?" Tommy heard a faint voice say as he straightened the red tie that he was wearing with his red suit, dark shoes, and red fedora. "Tommy, I want to talk to you for a minute in my office."

Tommy sighed, left his bedroom, and travelled down the hallway to his uncle's office. The door was open and he saw that his Uncle Frank was sitting behind the desk with his casted leg stretched out and resting on a padded ottoman. His khaki pants and shirt were wrinkled and he looked very distressed.

"Tommy, is Adam still getting ready?" Frank asked in a distressed voice. "I need you to come in…"

Tommy nodded and moved into the office, "What's up, Uncle Frank?" he asked in a cheerful voice.

"Tommy, I don't know if you should go to the murder mystery party tonight," Frank replied in a worried voice as he looked up at his happy nephew. "I've got this terrible feeling that something will happen…"

Tommy frowned, "What do you mean?" he asked in a worried voice. "Has Zordon said something?"

"No, I've just got this feeling that this party will end in disaster," Frank replied softly. "I don't know…"

Tommy smiled, "If there was a problem, Uncle Frank, Zordon would have told us," he replied. "I heard at school that Billy's father recently came into some money and he's hosting this at his new house as an effort to bring forth a better spirit of unity in Angel Grove. I'm really sure that nothing will go wrong."

"Okay, I'll let you go, but on one condition," Frank replied softly. "Do not let yourself be alone at ANY time during the evening, even during the game. If you agree to that, I'll let you go to the party."

Tommy nodded just as Adam came into the doorway wearing a forest green suit, dark shoes, forest green tie, and forest green fedora, "I heard talking in here," Adam commented. "I'm ready to go."

"What time is Rocky supposed to come?" Frank asked in a concerned voice. "Or is he going alone?"

Adam sighed, "He was supposed to go with Tanya to the house, but Tanya decided to go with her new boyfriend at the last minute, so he went alone," he replied. "Is Tommy ready to go, Doctor Oliver?"

"Be careful tonight, both of you," Dr. Oliver replied softly. "I'll be at the Youth Center if you need me."

Tommy grinned, "Going on a date tonight, Uncle Frank?" he asked in an amused voice.

"It is socializing with a friend, Thomas," Frank replied in an amused voice. "Go and have fun."

Adam and Tommy grinned, but left the office in silence. Frank quickly picked up the phone and dialed.

"Ms. Appleby, it's Frank Oliver," Frank said as a voice responded. "Are you free to go out with me tonight?"

* * *

Billy, who was wearing a dark blue suit, tie, fedora, and dark blue shoes, silently lingered in the bedroom that he had occupied since his father had been given the house in a supposed contest. In all reality, Rita and Prince Gasket had fashioned this reality so that they would be successful in capturing Tommy and Malcolm to do whatever they wanted with them. The party would be the perfect place to capture them.

The mirror in his large bedroom was the perfect place for him to reflect on what he was going to do, Billy thought as he continued to stare at himself. He was so wrapped up in going over the plan in his mind that he didn't hear the knocking at the door; the door then opened and Rocky was in the hall.

"Hey Billy, your dad answered the door and said I could come up," Rocky, who was wearing a dark red suit, tie, and fedora with dark shoes, said cheerfully. "I heard you were out of town for a while…"

Remembering Rita's warning to seem as pleasant as possible to the Rangers until the time was right to abduct Tommy and Malcolm, Billy plastered a smile on his face, "Yes, I was doing some soul searching in the form of camping," Billy replied pleasantly. "I returned to Angel Grove to find that my father had accumulated a great deal of financial gain and had won a house in a contest, so I suggested this…"

"That's cool," Rocky replied pleasantly. "It's really good to see you back, Billy; we've missed you…"

"Rocky is such a good-doer," Rita hissed as she watched Rocky and Billy leave the bedroom and travel down the stairs of the mansion to the common room where everyone was to meet. "After I capture Malcolm and restore Zedison to his former glory, I'm going to have to remind Rocky of his place."

There was a loud chuckle as Prince Gasket came into the Machine Empire throne room, "You should be at the mansion already to help bring your son home," he said in a regal tone. "I am fine here, Rita."

"Of course," Rita replied in an amused voice. She smiled, waved her wand, and promptly vanished.

As Prince Gasket strode out of the room to prepare his father's Cogs to bring Tommy to him, he was seemingly unaware of the small Rita doll that had been left on the floor near the magical telescope.

* * *

"Tanya!" Katherine said in an excited voice as Tanya, who was wearing a shimmering yellow gown, boa, and yellow feather in her curly updo, came into the mansion's foyer clinging to Shawn, who was wearing a dark tuxedo and a stoic expression on his face. Tanya gazed at Katherine briefly, but said nothing.

As Tanya and Shawn went over to the steps to check in with Lt. Stone, Katherine sighed and moved back into the sitting room where Jason, Malcolm, Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Laura, Bulk, Mark, David, and many other teenagers and young adults were waiting in the finest attire that they had. Seeing the distressed look on Katherine's face, Malcolm immediately hurried to her side and gently put an arm around her.

Katherine smiled at him, but before she could reply, Mr. Cranston came down the stairs dressed in a fancy suit with a sharp looking Billy at his side, "Welcome to my home," Mr. Cranston said gently. "I must say, you all look very sharp this evening and I hope Billy, Lt. Stone, and myself can be…."

The lights suddenly went out and quickly returned, but Lt. Stone and Mr. Cranston were both missing and Billy looked nervous, "It seems that my father and Lt. Stone have vanished from our view," Billy stated in a nervous voice. "I now invite all of you to search the mansion for clues that may explain their disappearance and hope that you will find enjoyment in this evening's 'whodunit' gathering…"

Again, the lights flickered and Billy was suddenly gone, "This is so lame!" Shawn hooted. "Lieutenant Stone, Mr. Cranston, and Billy are probably just hiding in the basement waiting for us to find them!"

There were murmurs and people slowly began to filter out of the sitting room to go look in the basement to see if Shawn was right, leaving only the Rangers, Bulk, David, Mark, and Laura there.

"I'm gonna go join the others in the basement," Shawn hooted. "Are you coming, Tanya?"

Tanya shook her head and glared at him, "I'm going to have some fun looking through the mansion for clues like we're supposed to," she replied in a frosty tone. "You go to the basement if you want to."

Shawn shrugged and walked out of the sitting room, "I think we should all split up into groups and each take a section of the house," Tommy spoke up in a gentle voice. "What do you all think of that idea?"

"I'd kind of like to stick with Kat and David," Mark spoke up nervously. "If that's okay with everyone?"

Katherine smiled sadly at Mark; his nightmares had been worse the night before and he had almost changed his mind about coming to the party, "Yes, that's fine," she replied. "Malcolm, do you mind..?"

"I'll come with you, Mark, and David," Malcolm replied, smiling at her. "We'll check the rooms on this floor and come back here when we're done. Jason, you should check upstairs with Tanya, Tommy, Bulk and Laura for clues. When you're all done, come back here so we can discuss our findings, okay?"

Bulk suddenly looked nervous, "I don't wanna go up there!" he protested. "What if I disappear?"

"Bulk can come with Rocky and I," Adam volunteered. "We're going to start by looking in here."

Bulk nodded and Laura took the opportunity to silently move out of the room and up the long staircase by herself. Unfortunately for her, Tommy had seen her leave and had silently followed her upstairs.

"I guess Tommy and Laura already started," Jason commented in an amused voice. "Let's go."

Deeply amused, Katherine led Mark into the other side of the house and David followed after them with Malcolm. Jason and Tanya quickly left the room and went upstairs, leaving Rocky, Adam, and Bulk alone.

Before Rocky, Adam, or Bulk could decide what to do, a fog suddenly arose and enveloped them.

* * *

"…_Tommy…"_

The sound of Kimberly's voice echoed through Tommy's ears as he reached the top of the stairs and saw a long hallway filled with half-open doors awaiting him. He couldn't see Laura, however, and that concerned him deeply; he wasn't supposed to be alone under any circumstance during the evening.

"Tommy, Laura, are you up here?" Jason's voice suddenly asked as footsteps ascended the stairs.

Tommy frowned as Jason and Tanya came up the stairs, "I can't find Laura," he replied worriedly.

Suddenly, there was the sound of breaking glass and a loud scream from the library, "Please, somebody help me!" Laura's scared voice yelled. Tommy frowned when he suddenly heard Kimberly's evil laugh.

Jason, Tanya and Tommy hurried to the library and saw that Kimberly was indeed there and pinning Laura to a wall whilst holding a bloody glass shard. Laura was crying as her arm bled heavily.

"I knew you'd come running when you heard your precious little Laura crying for help," Kimberly sneered as she released Laura and turned to face Jason, Tanya, Tommy, and Bulk. "I see that Skull's not tagging along with his overweight controller anymore. I guess he finally came to his senses about Bulk."

Jason frowned, "Skull's getting better, but he wasn't strong enough to come tonight," he replied softly, not wanting anyone to discover that he had donated the marrow that Skull needed to pull through.

"I don't really care about Skull," Kimberly replied darkly. "I care about getting my hands on Tommy."

There was suddenly a loud scream from downstairs, "MARK!" they heard Katherine scream angrily.

Kimberly cackled and gestured to Tommy just as Rita appeared beside her, "Well, well, my beloved Evil Green Ranger!" Rita cackled as she gazed at Tommy briefly before looking at the others. "Goodbye!"

Before Jason, Tanya, or Laura could reply, Rita grabbed Tommy's arm roughly and vanished with him and Kimberly in a flash of light, "TOMMY!" Jason yelled angrily. "RITA, BRING TOMMY BACK!"

"YOU WILL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN!" Rita's voice replied as the four suddenly found themselves in the den of the mansion with Katherine, Mark, Malcolm, and David. Klank, Orbus, and Goldar were blocking the exit and looking very amused at how terrified Katherine and Malcolm looked at seeing them.

Goldar cackled, "As soon as we claim our Prince Zedison and the rest of his power source, we will be glad to leave you all in peace," he said in an amused voice. "You know who I'm talking about."

"I don't know who this Prince Zedison is," Mark said nervously as he clung to Katherine. "I really…"

Two Cogs suddenly appeared and grabbed hold of Mark, pulling him away from Katherine. Katherine and David started after them, but they were pushed back by Goldar. Malcolm immediately grabbed Katherine and held her against her protectively as David struggled to keep from falling over.

"Now, Malcolm, you have three friends trapped in the sitting room," Goldar hissed as he brandished his sword at Malcolm, barely missing Katherine's outfit. "You have two choices; either come or they die."

Malcolm said nothing and continued to hold Katherine close, "LET ME HELP YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND!" Rita's voice suddenly roared from out of nowhere. "COME TO ME NOW, MALCOLM!"

A bolt of light shot down from the ceiling and hit Malcolm, causing him to promptly vanish from Katherine's side and from the room, "MALCOLM!" Jason yelled angrily. "What's going on?!"

"Ta ta for now," Goldar cackled evilly as he and the Cogs vanished with Mark in their grasp.

Klank cackled, "T'was lovely tae see ye," he said in a gleeful voice. "Prince Gasket sends his regards."

As Klank and Orbus vanished, the room began to shake and one by one, the group began to vanish.

* * *

Anxious talking and crying greeted Jason, Rocky, Adam, Tanya, Katherine, David, Laura, and Bulk as they appeared in the Youth Center. Jason immediately saw a distraught looking Mr. Cranston and tired looking Billy talking to a pair of uniformed cops while Lt. Stone was talking with a concerned Ernie.

"Jason!" Jason suddenly heard as his mother and father hurried over to him. "Jason, are you okay?"

As his mother hugged him tightly, Jason looked at his anxious looking father, "Dad, where's Malcolm?" he asked, already knowing what the answer would be. "We were at the party and monsters…"

"I know," Thomas replied in a very somber voice. "Malcolm was kidnapped by them, Jason."

Jason sighed and fought the urge to cry, "Rita Repulsa, that scary space witch, is back," he said in a somber voice, knowing that Zordon would soon contact all of them. "Dad, I'm really scared."

"Excuse me a moment, Jason," Thomas replied softly, having just noticed Dr. Oliver and Ms. Appleby come into the room from a more private dining area in the Youth Center. "Frank, we need to talk."

Dr. Oliver frowned, but nodded as he leaned on his crutches, "Frank, some sort of monsters attacked the party at the Cranstons tonight," Thomas explained, unaware that Lt. Stone and the police chief were approaching after talking with Ernie and with each other about the situation. "Tommy was taken."

"Taken?" Dr. Oliver asked, hating that his instincts had been right. "Taken by whom exactly?"

Thomas shrugged just as Mr. Caplan came into the room with a horde of reporters chasing after him, wanting to get information, "Lieutenant Stone, I want a word!" he said angrily as he hurried over to where the police chief and Lt. Stone were standing. "You assured me that this party would be safe!"

"Jerome Stone is no longer a representative of the Angel Grove Police Department," the police chief suddenly interjected in an angry tone, shooting a glare at Lt. Stone. "Mister Caplan, come with me…"

Lt. Stone looked aghast as the police chief and Mr. Caplan walked off out of the common area to further discuss what they knew so far, "…Frank?" he suddenly heard Ms. Appleby ask. "Frank, are you okay?"

"I just need to sit down," Dr. Oliver replied tonelessly as he hobbled over to an unoccupied table and eased himself into a chair so that he wouldn't collapse from shock. "I need to have time to think."

Katherine suddenly gasped as she looked at Laura's arm, "Laura, you're bleeding," she replied anxiously.

"Let me see your arm, young lady," Thomas said, having overheard Katherine's comment.

Laura immediately moved over to Thomas and showed him her bleeding arm, "One of the monsters who attacked the party stabbed me before they took Tommy," she said in a pained voice, not wanting to reveal that it was Kimberly who stabbed her in case it cost Tommy his life. "Can you fix it?"

"I most certainly can," Thomas replied softly, anxious to keep his mind off of his endangered nephew. "Let's go out to my rig."

As she was led away, Laura suddenly looked very concerned, "Mrs. Lee Scott, where's Ashley?" she asked. "Is she okay?"

"Oh, Ashley's at the house with Eugene and Wilma," Helen replied gently. "She's perfectly fine and safe from any monsters."

Chattering suddenly filled the room as more shellshocked participants began to filter into the Youth Center and Bulk suddenly found himself lost in the crowd. He swallowed hard and instinctively moved over to where Lt. Stone was standing with a depressed expression on his face. Lt. Stone looked at him.

"Now that I'm not on the force anymore, I can pursue my true dream," Lt. Stone said in a low, yet very determined voice. "I'm going to open a detective agency and personally begin a search for Tommy Oliver and Malcolm Lee Scott; I believe that whoever took them don't intend on keeping them forever. Now, Mister Bulkmeier, I cannot work alone on this. Would you and Mister Skullovitch work part-time for me?"

Bulk's eyes widened and he nodded, "I can't speak for Skull, sir," he replied in a shocked voice. "I'll help you find Tommy and Malcolm, though."

"Good," Lt. Stone replied in a determined voice. "Hopefully, once Skullovitch is well enough, we can even get the Power Rangers to help us."

* * *

Please read and review!


	38. Inner Power and Mindful Vision

_**MISSING: Malcolm Lee Scott, Thomas Frank Oliver, and Mark Hillard.**_

_**Last seen at the Murder Mystery Party on February 14**__**th**__** at the Cranston Mansion in Angel Grove.**_

Billy sighed as he read the numbers that people should phone if any of the three were spotted somewhere; it had been nearly five days since the party and five days since the two had gone missing.

The Youth Center was the ideal place for such posters, Billy thought as he continued to study the one that Ernie had allowed the newly christened Detective Stone to put up just four days before. Since Ernie was busy in the kitchen and everyone else was in school, Billy found himself with time to think quietly.

Kimberly had left with Rita and Prince Gasket, but he had been left behind; in all fairness, Billy thought of himself as a traitor who deserved no friendship or mercy for what he had helped to happen recently.

"Billy?" Billy suddenly heard Ernie ask. "Could you please come over here and help me for a sec?"

A quick glance at the clock told Billy that it wouldn't be long before people would get out of school and he would be face to face with his former friends again; the thought of facing people that he had betrayed so easily because of a little jealously made his stomach churn and he suddenly vomited.

"Billy!" Ernie said in a shocked voice as he hurried over to the shellshocked teen. "Are you okay?"

Billy turned to Ernie with an embarrassed look on his face, "Sorry," he replied softly. "I just started thinking about how it's my fault that Malcolm, Mark, and Tommy went missing."

"…Aw, but sis!" Billy and Ernie suddenly heard a young voice say. "…I just wanted to see you!"

Billy frowned as Laura, who was wearing old jeans, worn sneakers, a loose t-shirt, and a flannel jacket, came into the Youth Center leading an aggravated looking Ashley, who was wearing boots, overalls, and a yellow t-shirt, by the hand, "Ashley, with Malcolm and Tommy missing, it's not safe to be running around Angel Grove by yourself. I don't know why you were wandering around the high school…"

"I was scared to stay at my school because of what happened on Valentine's Day," Ashley replied as she pulled away and went over to the mats on the floor. "I was looking for you so you could protect me."

As Ashley sat on the mats and took the backpack that Mrs. Lee Scott had bought for her off, Laura suddenly noticed Billy standing there, "Billy?" she asked in a cautious voice. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, it's really me," Billy replied, hoping that Laura understood that he was free of any evil spells.

Laura nodded and cringed as she noticed the poster, "Those are all over town and all over the school too," she said in a less than pleasant voice as she quickly turned away. "Ashley, are you hungry?"

Ashley suddenly looked nervous, but nodded, "Ernie, can I do a few dishes to get something for my sister and I to eat, please?" Laura asked in a nervous voice. "I'll wait until later to find dinner…"

"Don't you live at Doctor Oliver's?" Billy asked in a confused voice. "You could eat his food."

At the mention of Dr. Oliver, Laura suddenly tensed up, "Billy, I just remembered that I left something in my locker at the school," she said in an apologetic voice. "Could you watch Ashley for just a minute?"

"Of course," Billy replied calmly, not at all eager to encounter Jason or any of his former friends.

Laura smiled and hurried out of the Youth Center, "I'll go make some juice for you guys," Ernie said as he smiled at Billy. "You've had a rough few days, so consider the first one on the house, okay?"

Billy nodded and walked over to where Ashley was sitting, "What are you doing, Ashley?" he asked.

"Homework," Ashley replied as she pulled a workbook out of her backpack and opened it. "It's hard."

Smiling, as even he had experienced difficulty with his schoolwork in the months after his mother had passed away, Billy sat down beside her, "I don't like seeing Laura so sad," Ashley said in a worried voice that was too quiet for Ernie to hear. "She's stayed away from her cool friends since Valentine's Day and seems really scared when she's helping me with my homework; like something will happen to me."

"Have you asked Laura why she's sad?" Billy asked in a soft voice. "Maybe you could help her be happy."

Ashley sighed, "I asked five days ago when Laura and Jason got back from the party and Laura started crying and Jason went off to his room," she replied sadly. "Mrs. Lee Scott went to talk to him and Eugene left with his mom a few minutes later. Laura then kissed me goodnight and went to bed."

Before Billy could reply, he suddenly began to feel a severe pain in his head and placed a hand on his forehead to try and help himself feel better, "Billy?" Ernie asked in a concerned voice, suddenly seeing that Billy was very pale and looked ready to faint. "Billy, are you all right? Do you need some help?"

"No, I just need to lie down," Billy replied in a faint voice, convinced that he had earned this illness.

Swallowing hard, Billy slowly lay down on the mat and closed his eyes to try and block out the pain.

* * *

_There's talk of security guards here. _Katherine thought as she lingered in front of her open locker with books resting in her arms while she gazed at the metal, deeply lost in thought about her missing friends.

"Katherine, are you okay?" Tanya asked as she came down the hallway with Shawn at her side and stopped at Katherine's locker, ignoring Shawn's eye rolling. "You've been really, really quiet today."

Katherine sighed and looked at Tanya, "I was just thinking about Malcolm, Tommy, and Mark," she replied softly.

"I wonder where Mark, Malcolm, and Tommy are," Tanya replied in an equally somber tone. "I'm worried…"

Shawn scoffed, "Malcolm and Tommy are martial arts experts," he snapped. "I'm sure they're fine and nobody should be making a big deal about them not being here. Let's go to the Youth Center, Tanya…"

"I'll be along when I want to be along and not when you tell me to come," Tanya replied crisply.

Shawn scoffed, rolled his eyes, and walked off, "Has Zordon been able to find anything out about where any of them might be?" Tanya asked in a quiet voice. "I haven't been in touch with Zordon…"

"Neither has anyone else," Katherine replied in a somber voice. "There's nothing any of us can do right now because we don't know where Rita and Prince Gasket took Tommy, Mark, and Malcolm or why."

Tanya sighed and suddenly looked concerned, "I saw Billy walking around the park a few days ago, but he seemed to be very upset," she commented worriedly. "Do you think the spell on him was broken?"

"I don't know," Katherine replied softly as she put her books in her locker. "I want to talk to Billy and see what he might be able to do to help Zordon, but I don't want to end up kidnapped; I don't know…"

Both Katherine and Tanya thought for a moment and Katherine suddenly smiled, "Maybe we should go see how Doctor Oliver is doing," she suggested in a concerned voice. "I heard he was in his office today and he's got to be hurting since Tommy is missing and David's really not sure how to be of help."

"Okay," Tanya replied, suddenly missing Tommy and Malcolm. "It'll give us something to do."

Katherine nodded as tears came to her eyes, "Mark's got no chance against Rita," she whispered sadly.

"It's gonna be okay, Kat," Tanya replied gently as she put an arm around her friend. "It'll be okay."

* * *

"_Mother, I cannot see," Zedison said as he felt a hand on his face. "How am I any good to you?"_

_Rita sighed and watched as Zedison sat on a chair that Zedd had crafted once Zedison was strong enough to be awake for long periods of time, "You are alive and that is all that matters to us," Rita said as she waved her wand and a silver ninja suit with only a head covering appeared over Mark's suit._

"_The last thing I remember is being tortured by Ivan," Zedison whispered in an anxious voice._

_Rita frowned and gently stroked Zedison's cheek, "I will send your father in to keep you calm, my Zedison," she said, worried that Zedison was very anxious. "Just take deep breaths to relax."_

"_Yes Mother," Zedison replied in a faint voice as Rita swept out of the room to let him rest._

_A faint moaning sound could be heard as Rita swept into another, more darker part of the cave where Zedd was watching Goldar sword whip a form who was chained to the wall and had a sack over his face._

"_Zedd, I am worried about Zedison," Rita said to Zedd. "His strength isn't coming back quickly…"_

_Zedd grunted, "Goldar, continue teaching Malcolm his lesson for trying to fight his destiny," he replied in a snappish tone as he turned his attention to Rita. "Did you plant the device for Prince Gasket?"_

"Billy?"

Billy shuddered and opened his eyes, shocked to see that Jason was kneeling next to him, "Here's that ice you wanted, Jason," Ernie said as he approached the two. "Billy, are you feeling any better?"

"Y-Yes," Billy replied in a nervous voice, still very shaken what he had seen. "I-I'm feeling better."

Even though he wasn't entirely convinced that Billy was okay, Ernie nodded and moved back to the counter where Ashley and a tired looking Skull were sitting and looking at Ashley's homework.

"What are you doing here, Jason?" Billy asked, unwilling to look at Jason any longer than necessary.

Jason looked surprised for only a moment, but quickly recovered, "I came to get ready for the class I teach after school," he replied in a gentle voice. "Ernie mentioned that you weren't feeling well."

"I just had a little headache," Billy replied nervously. "I guess I must have fallen asleep."

Ashley's giggle caused Jason and Billy to look over where she and Skull were sitting. Skull was showing Ashley something he had drawn on an empty page on Ashley's notebook, "I thought Skull was still sick in the hospital?" Billy asked in a quiet voice as he slowly sat up. "He looks like he's doing a lot better."

"I donated some of my bone marrow to Skull," Jason whispered. "He went to school today…"

Billy suddenly frowned, "Jason, I know where Malcolm is," he whispered in an anxious voice.

"How do you know that?" Jason whispered just as Detective Stone came into the Youth Center.

Detective Stone smiled as he approached Skull and Ashley's table, "Hello Miss Hammond and Mister Skullovitch," he said in an official, yet very gentle tone. "Did you both have a good day at school?"

"Today was my first day back to school and it was all right," Skull replied. "Bulk had to stay after school, so I'm waiting for him here. He said he wanted to talk to me about something really, really cool."

As Detective Stone listened to Skull, Billy looked at Jason, "We need to go talk to Zordon," Billy said in a low enough voice so that only Jason could hear it. Jason nodded and carefully helped Billy to his feet.

* * *

The door to Dr. Oliver's office was open, Tanya and Katherine observed, as they came down the hallway towards the other end of the school, "…It's not healthy to hole up in your office at school or be alone at your house too much…," David's voice filtered out of the office. "Let me get you something to eat."

"I'll only be a few minutes more, David," Katherine and Tanya heard Dr. Oliver say in a tired tone.

Exchanging a look, Katherine and Tanya knocked on the door, "Come in," they heard Dr. Oliver say.

Katherine and Tanya entered the office and saw Dr. Oliver sitting behind his desk with a pillow underneath his casted leg. David was sitting on the counseling couch with his backpack at his feet.

"Hello there Katherine and Tanya," Dr. Oliver said in a tired voice. "How can I help you two?"

Katherine sighed, "We were wondering the same thing," she replied softly, fighting back her tears.

"Katherine, it's all right to cry because you miss your friends and your brother," Dr. Oliver said in a less tired voice as he offered her the box of tissues on his desk. "Crying is a perfectly natural thing…"

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

"What was that?" David asked, suddenly wondering why two watch alarms had gone off.

Katherine and Tanya exchanged a look, "Alarms reminding us that we have to do something important," Tanya quickly lied, not wanting to lose their powers should David find out they were Zeo Rangers.

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

David frowned, but remained seated, "Does that beeping have something to do with why I never got my half of the arrowhead back?" he asked in a concerned voice. "What did Tommy do with my half?"

Katherine swallowed hard and silently groaned as her Zeonizer suddenly appeared on her wrist, "Is that some sort of wristwatch?" David asked in a curious voice. Dr. Oliver sighed and also swallowed hard.

"Close the door please, Tanya," Dr. Oliver replied in a firm voice, which Tanya did rather quickly.

David suddenly looked nervous, "David, what I am about to tell you is a highly guarded secret and you must never ever tell anyone," Dr. Oliver said in a serious voice. "Katherine and Tanya are Power Rangers and Power Rangers have been entrusted with protecting the citizens of Earth from evil forces."

"What?" David replied in a shocked voice. "Are Tommy and Malcolm Power Rangers too then?"

Katherine nodded, "That's why Malcolm and Tommy were kidnapped," she explained solemnly.

"Katherine and Tanya, you'd better get to the Command Center," Dr. Oliver cut in. "David, stay here."

Still shocked that his newly found brother had such a great responsibility, David nodded and silently watched as Katherine and Tanya teleported out of the office. Dr. Oliver let out a distressed sigh.

"David, I just had a thought," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice. "Why don't you and I go to the Youth Center for something to eat and a chat? This has been a very long day and I could use the break."

David nodded and was surprised when Dr. Oliver slowly got to his feet using his crutches, "I just have to get something from the staff room and then we can go," he said in a gentle voice. "I hobbled to school this morning because my car ran out of gas five days ago and I haven't felt like filling up the tank…"

"I have my truck," David replied gently, knowing that Dr. Oliver was tired. "I can give you a ride."

Dr. Oliver nodded and slowly hobbled over to the door, "Thank you," he said in a semi-tired voice.

"No problem," David replied, deeply concerned as he watched Dr. Oliver open the door and hobble out into the hallway. Ever since Tommy had disappeared, Dr. Oliver had become more subdued.

David swallowed hard, silently wishing that there was something he could do as he stood up and moved towards the door. He suddenly noticed Dr. Oliver's satchel was beside the desk and carefully picked it up just in case there was something that Dr. Oliver needed later. He then turned off the lights, left the room, and closed the door. After taking Dr. Oliver's keys out of the door, David hurried after him.

* * *

"…This is harder than I thought!" Rocky and Adam heard as they passed a classroom on their way out of the school after staying to help Mr. Wilton clean up a mess that Bulk had accidentally caused during a science experiment after Bulk had been unexpectedly dismissed. "…I'm too dumb for this."

Rocky and Adam exchanged a look and moved over to the classroom doorway. They were surprised to see Bulk sitting in a desk holding an English textbook with Laura standing next to the blackboard.

"Bulk, no you're not!" Laura replied in a gentle, yet very firm voice. "Just believe in yourself."

Not wanting Bulk to see them, Adam and Rocky ducked into the open classroom next door as Bulk stood and came outside, "I'm going to get a drink," Bulk called out as he walked off down the hall.

Adam and Rocky quickly came out of the classroom, "What are you guys doing here?" Laura asked in an anxious voice, suddenly spotting them in the hallway. "Bulk will be embarrassed to see you here."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Rocky asked in a curious voice. "Where's Ashley at?"

Laura sighed, "Billy's at the Youth Center watching her and I'm helping my fellow man," she replied just as Bulk came back and almost turned away because Adam and Rocky were there. "Bulk, don't go…"

"I have trouble reading, okay?" Bulk snapped in an embarrassed voice as he glared at Rocky and Adam, daring them to make fun of his problem. "Detective Stone said that I have to get better at my reading before he'll let me do official work for the Junior Police Force. He asked Laura to help me with it."

Adam frowned, but said nothing, "Bulk, why don't you go get your other books so that you don't have to go back to your locker once we're done for today?" Laura suggested in a gentle voice. "Okay?"

Bulk nodded and hurried back down the hall, "Look, Rocky, I'm not a Ranger anymore so you and the others don't have to waste your time socializing with me," Laura said in a less than pleasant voice as she moved back into the classroom. "Besides, I'm responsible for Tommy getting captured, so…"

"Is that why you've been avoiding everyone?" Adam cut in, deeply shocked. "It's not your fault."

Laura sighed as she turned her attention to the blackboard, "If I hadn't gone upstairs, Tommy wouldn't have had to come after me," she replied in an upset voice. "Kimberly caught me as soon as I reached the second floor and dragged me into the library. She cut my arm right before Tommy and the others…"

For a moment, Laura was silent and then she rolled up her left sleeve, revealing bandages extending all the way from her wrist to her elbow, "The stitches are supposed to come out in five days," she commented in a nervous voice. "I've gotten what I needed from Doctor Oliver's first aid supplies for the last five days and I've taken care of keeping it dry. I haven't wanted to bother him by asking for help."

"Doctor Oliver doesn't blame or hate you for Tommy's disappearance," Adam replied softly. "He's been asking me where you are between after school and curfew. You haven't been visiting Ashley…"

Laura scoffed just as Bulk came back into the room with his backpack over one shoulder, "I've done my best to make sure Ashley does well in school and that she does good things after school," she replied in an unusually upset voice. "After the chaos on Valentine's Day, I decided it was better that I don't depend on others to look after Ashley's well-being for me and I helped her move over to Doctor Oliver's…"

Bulk suddenly cleared his throat, "Uh, Laura?" he asked. "Do you want to help me more today?"

"If you want to be done for the day, Bulk, I understand," Laura replied, seeing that Bulk was anxious to go home. "Just practice your reading and we'll get together again tomorrow, okay? Good job today."

Bulk nodded and quickly left the classroom. Laura sighed and began to clean the board with the eraser.

_Beep-beep-boop-boop-beep-beep._

"You guys had better go," Laura said in a melancholy voice. "I have to get back to Ashley and Billy."

Rocky frowned at the mention of Billy watching Ashley, "Don't do anything reckless to try and find Tommy," he said in a worried voice.

"Even though I'm not a Ranger anymore, I can still help others," Laura replied softly. "Maybe in the course of helping others, I can think of some way to help rescue Tommy. You guys had better go."

Even though they didn't want to leave Laura, Rocky and Adam nodded and quickly teleported away.

A thought suddenly crossed Laura's mind as she rolled her sleeve back down; Tommy still had a love for Kimberly and maybe if she could heal Kimberly from whatever spell she was under, perhaps they could work together to get Tommy back from Prince Gasket. Where and how could she find Kimberly, though?

"…Maybe we'd better just order a pizza from my house," Laura suddenly heard the faint voice of Dr. Oliver say as she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. "I'm suddenly feeling really tired."

Laura picked up her backpack and moved out into the hallway just in time to see David walking alongside Dr. Oliver, who was hobbling slowly down the hallway looking very pale and tired. David looked very concerned and was carrying both a backpack and a dark satchel.

"Laura, school ended nearly an hour ago," Dr. Oliver gently commented. "What are you still doing here? Did you get detention today?"

Laura swallowed hard and looked at David, "David, I need your help in going on a vision quest," she said, knowing that a vision quest would be the only way to locate Kimberly without having any powers. "I think the answer to finding Tommy lies in finding and helping Kimberly first."

Dr. Oliver's eyes widened, "Wasn't Tommy captured by some guy named Prince Gasket because he's a Power Ranger?" David suddenly asked.

"Yes," Laura replied softly just in case Bulk was nearby. "The story's long and complicated, but can you take me on a vision quest?"

Dr. Oliver cleared his throat, "Laura, that sounds really dangerous," he stated in a concerned voice. "You could end up seriously hurt."

"I may not be a Ranger anymore, but I still have the power to help others," Laura replied in a determined voice. "Please let me do this."

Dr. Oliver sighed and nodded, "You and David can do this on one condition," he replied in a firm voice. "I come on the quest with you two."

"All right," Laura replied, knowing that Dr. Oliver might be able to help them. "We need to get started on this as soon as possible."

David nodded, "What we need for it is at my house," he replied gently. "I'll drive us there since my Uncle Frank's feeling a bit tired."

Smiling at being referred to as 'Uncle' by David, Dr. Oliver slowly hobbled towards the exit doors with David and Laura walking beside him.

* * *

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	39. Impact of Memories

Katherine, Tanya, Rocky, and Adam materialized in the Command Center and were surprised to see Jason and Alpha standing next to the med-bed where a form lay very still. Zordon's attention was also focused on them.

"…How are you feeling, Billy?" Jason asked in a concerned voice. "Are you feeling better with some fluid shots?"

Tanya's eyes widened as Billy coughed, "I'm feeling better, but I can't get that vision out of my head," he replied in an unusually faint voice. "I don't know why I was able to see that even though the spell's off me."

"Billy, is it really you?" Tanya asked as she walked over to the bed and saw Billy lying there looking very somber.

Billy sighed as Katherine, Adam, and Rocky came over to the bed, "Rita's got both Malcolm and Mark in some cave in the canyons outside of Angel Grove," Billy explained in a faint voice. "Mark has been reverted to Zedison, but he doesn't have the same power as he did before and his last memory was being attacked by Ivan Ooze."

"Billy, save your strength," Jason commented, seeing that talking was beginning to tire his friend out. "Rest."

Billy nodded and then cringed, "I should join Trini for what I've done!" he moaned. "I just want to die!"

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha exclaimed as he quickly pressed a button that caused restraints to lift from small slots among the bedsides and wrap around Billy's ankles and wrists to hold him down. "The memories are causing Billy pain."

Jason sighed, "While Alpha was scanning him, Billy already told me everything he saw in his vision," he stated.

"Rita was talking to Zedison and Zedison was still blind and very weak," Billy interrupted in an anxious voice as he struggled to stay calm. "Rita then went to talk to Zedd and Zedd was watching Goldar beat Malcolm up."

Before anyone could reply, Billy shuddered and closed his eyes, "Zordon, is there anything that can be done to help Mark come out of whatever Rita's done?" Katherine asked in a nervous voice. "Why did Rita take Malcolm?"

"Malcolm has very special inner characteristics that many do not and Rita kidnapped him to be an energy source to bring Zedison back to his former state," Zordon explained in a solemn voice. "Although Rita has succeeded in capturing Malcolm and draining him of his energy, Zedison does not seem to be receiving the energy well."

Rocky suddenly swallowed hard and took a step back, "Because it was taken by force," he whispered in an almost unrecognizable voice, suddenly realizing why the stripes on his back continually bothered him. "Anything given or taken forcibly to someone who's unwilling will make the magic either very ineffective or incredibly crippling."

"How do you know that?" Jason asked in a shocked voice, concerned when Rocky suddenly started to tremble.

Adam frowned as Rocky mumbled something under his breath and took off out of the Power Chamber at a very fast walk, "Rocky!" Adam yelled in a concerned voice, wondering why Rocky suddenly looked so heartsick.

* * *

The Youth Center was quiet and Dr. Oliver sat quietly at a table reading a book while he watched Detective Stone talk to Skull over by the counter. Ashley was on the mats doing some stretches that closely resembled katas.

For a moment, Bulk lingered in the doorway for a moment clutching his backpack before he wandered over to the table where Dr. Oliver was sitting.

Dr. Oliver had fully intended on going with Laura to David's house, but exhaustion had overwhelmed him and he had decided to relax at the Youth Center until Ashley was ready to go home for the day since Adam, Tanya, Katherine, Jason, and Rocky had all been called to the Power Chamber.

"Hey Doctor Oliver, can I talk to you?" Bulk asked in a quiet voice. "I know you're probably busy, but…"

Dr. Oliver let out a patient sigh as he closed his book, "What can I do for you, Mister Bulkmeier?" he asked in a gentle voice even though he wanted to do nothing more than rest. "Is it about that lab accident that happened?"

"Uh no, Mister Wilton forgave me for that," Bulk replied nervously. "I was just wondering about some books."

Before Dr. Oliver could reply, Ms. Appleby came into the Youth Center and, not noticing Dr. Oliver, she went over to the counter and began talking to Ernie. The sound of Ms. Appleby's voice caused Dr. Oliver to blush deeply.

"How long have you liked Ms. Appleby for, Doctor Oliver?" Bulk whispered in an intrigued voice.

Dr. Oliver sighed and rolled his eyes, "You may be working on becoming a member of the Junior Police Force, Bulk, but stick to solving real crime," he replied in an amused voice. "I don't even talk of my personal life to Tommy…"

The smile on Dr. Oliver's face suddenly faded and he picked up his book, "Mister Bulkmeier, would you mind going and asking Ernie if he can whip up a small poutine for me, please?" he asked in a dead voice. "I'm feeling hungry."

Bulk nodded, made his way over to the counter, and silently waited for Ernie and Ms. Appleby to finish talking.

* * *

A faint groan could be heard, "No, NO!" Rocky's anxious voice suddenly yelled.

Jason, Katherine, Adam, Tanya, and Alpha hurried into the corridor and saw Rocky on his knees and keeled over, groaning in pain, "I can feel Rita whipping me again," he whimpered as Jason knelt down beside him.

"Do you mean when we were Dark Rangers?" Adam asked in a shocked voice. "Rita never whipped any of us."

Rocky took a deep breath and slowly stood up, "She whipped me," he replied softly. "I wasn't good enough."

Jason frowned, but Rocky immediately cleared his throat, "Look, we need to focus on helping Billy and figuring out how we're gonna rescue Malcolm and Mark from Rita," Rocky said in an anxious voice. "I'll be fine eventually."

"I need to talk to you all," Billy's faint voice suddenly filtered into the corridor. "While I still have strength."

Rocky swallowed hard and followed Jason, Katherine, Tanya, and Adam back into the Power Chamber and over to the med-bed, "If you let me go, I'll trade myself to Rita in exchange for Malcolm's return," Billy said in an anxious voice as he struggled to stay conscious. "Malcolm's only one, but he has the power to save Mark and Tommy."

"Unfortunately, Billy, your attempt would prove futile," Zordon replied. "Only Malcolm has the power to save himself and if any of the other Rangers were to try, the attempt would completely drain the Zeo Star's energy."

Adam raised an eyebrow, "I thought the Zeo Star had no limits to its power?" he asked in a confused voice.

"The Zeo Star's Power decreases just a little bit every time its more extraordinary powers are used to combat evil forces," Zordon explained in a somber voice. "The limits of the Star's Power are going to be tested during the rescues of Malcolm, Tommy, and Mark Hillard. I have no doubt that it is possible to find and help all of them."

Tanya sighed anxiously, "Why can't we just morph and go after Prince Gasket right now?" she asked impatiently.

"My scanners have not yet been able to locate Tommy," Zordon replied calmly. "This is a precarious situation."

Katherine bit her lip as she looked up at Zordon, "You said that Malcolm has the power to rescue himself from captivity, but how is he to know this?" she asked in a worried voice. "Does Mark possess that same power?"

"I believe that Zedison's memories of his life as Mark Hillard have buried themselves deep within his mind and it may not be possible to recover them," Zordon stated. "Billy said that he saw that Zedison was in great pain…"

As Katherine fought the urge to cry, Jason looked down at Billy, "Billy, is there any way you could use this connection to Rita to try and find out where Tommy is?" Jason asked in a soft voice. "I know it's a long shot…"

"I'll do whatever I can to help find Tommy," Billy promised in a faint voice as he struggled to stay awake.

Alpha cleared his throat, "You need to rest, Billy," he said in a concerned voice. "Please save your strength."

Billy nodded and closed his eyes, "Zordon, is there any way we could contact Malcolm and explain to him how he can escape from Rita's cave?" Katherine asked as she turned to face Zordon. "He needs to know there's a way."

"Could we use Malcolm's piece of the Zeo Star to communicate with him without Rita finding out?" Rocky cut in, deeply curious if the Zeo Star could also be used for communication as well as to bestow them all with powers.

Tanya scoffed, "Prince Gasket is dangerous!" she whined in an anxious voice. "Why can't we destroy him?"

"Tanya, Rita is providing Prince Gasket with magic in hopes of completely eradicating the Zeo Star's powers and rendering the Earth defenseless," Zordon stated. "Rocky, I believe it might be possible to contact Malcolm."

Alpha nodded, "If Zordon infuses Malcolm's piece of the Zeo Star with energy, it may be possible to send Malcolm a hologram that is visible only to him," he explained. "The hologram will gain strength from Malcolm's heart…"

"Alpha, lift the frame containing the Zeo Star and attach a charge to Malcolm's piece," Zordon firmly stated.

Alpha nodded, hurried over to the console, and carefully lifted the panel containing the assembled multi-colored Star up by the lid of its hidden panel. He then reached into his torso port, took out a charge, and set it in the center of the Zeo Star, which glowed a faint blue, "Who's going to be the hologram?" Jason suddenly asked. "I can do it."

"I will serve as the holographic messenger," Zordon replied. "If any of you were to attempt to enter Rita's temporary chamber even as a hologram, your powers would be damaged and you could suffer serious harm."

Alpha sighed, "Initiating power link now," he said as he pressed a button that caused Zordon to suddenly fade.

Cold pierced the hair on Malcolm's neck and he let out a faint moan; he couldn't take much more of the torture that Rita and Goldar had administered all because they wanted Mark Hillard to revert back to Prince Zedison.

* * *

"_Malcolm."_

Malcolm nearly cried as he forced his heavy eyelids to flutter open and was he surprised to see that he was alone.

"_Malcolm, look with your heart instead of your eyes," _a firm voice suddenly spoke. _"Then you will be able to see."_

As Malcolm blinked, light suddenly filled the chamber and he realized that he was chained to a stone wall and that his body had lost a lot of strength, "Who's there?" he whispered, partially blinded by the sudden bright light.

"_Malcolm, I'm contacting you from the Command Center," _the voice spoke in a firm tone. "_Open your heart."_

Malcolm winced as he blinked and suddenly caught sight of Zordon's head in front of him, "Zordon?" he whispered in as much a voice as he could muster with being so heavily restrained. "R-Rita will find you and she'll…"

"_I'm only visible to you, Malcolm," _Zordon replied softly. "_The power to free yourself rests in your heart, Malcolm."_

Malcolm inhaled sharply and promptly exploded in a coughing fit that caused his entire body to tremble, "R-Rita took my energy with her wand and gave it to Zedison," he whispered faintly. "I'm chained to this rock wall…"

"_Just think of where you want to be and your heart will save you," _Zordon replied. "_You can still use your heart even if your body and mind have been tortured at Rita's request. You must put the hope of escaping above your pain."_

Malcolm shivered, "I will," he whispered, forcing himself not to cry as Zordon's face faded, leaving him in the dark. "I...must...find...the...way...out..."

* * *

The shed in David's backyard was small, but it contained several floor pillows and benches that were built into the wall and lined them as decoration. Dreamcatchers and spirit symbols lined the walls and there was a large, bowl shaped firepit in the middle of the room that was held up by a small, uniquely constructed tower of cedar blocks.

"Sam Trueheart left this to me when he died in case I ever needed to do some soul searching," David explained as he led Laura into the shed and began putting logs into the small firepit. "It took a while for me to get it out here and set it up, but I managed to use my free time after school to do it. Anyway, this is where we'll do the quest."

Laura nodded and her gaze promptly drifted to the eagle symbol on the wall; she suddenly remembered when Dulcea had unveiled her spirit animal on Phaedos and the thought of bringing it out suddenly appealed to her.

"The fire's ready," David said as a brilliant flame suddenly rose from the metal pit. "Laura, are you okay?"

Laura turned towards the brilliant flame and saw that David was sitting cross-legged on one of the pillows looking up at her, "Yeah," she replied as she took a seat on the pillow next to him. "Okay, so how does this work?"

"Just close your eyes and open your mind," David replied softly. "Your desire will manifest itself before you."

Laura nodded and closed her eyes. _Kimberly's animal is the Crane. I seek to speak to the Pink Crane!_

* * *

Unaware where Tommy had been taken and not even caring what Prince Gasket might be doing to him, Kimberly stretched out on the bed that was in the room that she had been placed in by the Cogs after helping to capture Tommy on Valentine's Day. She was exhausted and still wanted revenge on Laura for stealing Tommy's affection.

A cry suddenly rang out and Kimberly was astonished when a yellow eagle suddenly appeared on the floor in front of her and spread its wings out wide. She sat up and stared at the eagle for a moment before scoffing at it.

"You are the Crane that I seek," the eagle suddenly said in a soothing voice. "You are the Pink Crane."

Kimberly's eyes narrowed and suddenly widened as the eagle faded and Laura stood before her completely clad in her Yellow Eagle Ninjetti suit with the Eagle Coin on her chest, "I thought your Ninjetti Coin was destroyed!" Kimberly snarled as she got off the bed and walked over to Laura. "You were foolish to come and find me."

"I am not really here," Laura replied calmly as Kimberly reached out and couldn't touch her. "I am a vision."

Kimberly's eyes widened and she took a step back, "What do you want?" she asked in a less hostile tone.

"I need you to help me find Tommy," Laura said in a tone that held no fear. "It's my fault he was taken."

Kimberly scoffed, "Prince Gasket hates Doctor Oliver and that is why Tommy was taken," she replied crisply.

"Why does Prince Gasket hate Doctor Oliver?" Laura asked curiously. "Doctor Oliver doesn't have powers."

For the first time in ages, Kimberly actually smiled, "You know, that attempt to heal me sort of worked for a while," she replied in an unusually soft voice. "A while back, I heard Goldar and Scorpina talking about Zordon's ancient warriors and how those warriors sacrificed their powers to stop the Machine Empire a long, long time ago."

"Goldar kissed my cheek a while back," Laura said uneasily, shuddering as the memory suddenly resurfaced.

Kimberly sighed sadly, but said nothing, "Anyway, why does the Machine Empire and Goldar think that Doctor Oliver is one of Zordon's ancient warriors?" Laura asked in a confused voice. "Doctor Oliver's very harmless."

"Before I was captured, I always wondered why Doctor Oliver never married and instead seemed very dedicated to raising Tommy and having a career as a counselor," Kimberly stated. "I asked Tommy once, but he said that his uncle never really expressed regret about not getting married; his uncle always seemed content with him."

Laura sighed, "If you truly care for Tommy, you'll tell me how I can find him," she said in a gentle, yet firm voice.

"I don't know," Kimberly replied in a sad voice as she reached into the pocket of her shorts and extended a fist out towards Laura. Laura said nothing about the condition of Kimberly's arms, but focused on what Kimberly offered.

Kimberly sighed and opened her fist, revealing her faded Pink Crane Ninja Coin, "I have no business having this power coin anymore," she said in a sad voice. "I need you to take me back to Earth and help me have a life that doesn't have Tommy or any of the other Rangers in it. That part of my life was good, but now it brings me pain."

"Running from your past brings only pain," Laura replied softly. "I can take you back if you're willing to face it."

Kimberly was silent as Laura held out her hands, "If you take my hands now, you'll be able to touch them," Laura said in a gentle voice. "I can't promise that coming back will be easy, but I promise that you won't be alone."

"Okay," Kimberly whispered as she reluctantly took Laura's hands. "I just can't deal with anything anymore."

There was a blinding flash of light and suddenly, both Kimberly and Laura vanished from the room.

* * *

The message had been sent and Zordon was now recharging while Alpha tended to Billy. There was nothing left for Jason, Katherine, Tanya, Rocky, and Adam to do but wait and see how Malcolm would interpret Zordon's message.

"...Doctor Oliver, why are you so quiet this evening?" they heard Ashley ask as they entered the Youth Center.

There was silence and Jason, Katherine, Tanya, Rocky, and Adam entered the Juice Bar just in time to see Ashley sit at a table where Dr. Oliver and Ms. Appleby were already sitting. Dr. Oliver was picking at a small plate of poutine with a fork and Ms. Appleby was eating a salad, "I'm just thinking about Tommy, Ashley," Dr. Oliver replied softly.

"Oh," Ashley replied softly as she set her backpack on the floor. "Eugene helped me with my homework."

Realizing that he had to be strong for Tommy's friends and for Ashley, Dr. Oliver nodded and smiled, "I saw that," he replied as Jason, Katherine, Tanya, Adam, and Rocky walked over to the table. "Oh, hello there kids…"

"Doctor Oliver and Ms. Appleby, how are you doing?" Katherine asked in a gentle voice. "It's been a long day."

Dr. Oliver nodded and sighed, "I'm all right, but I think that Frank's tired," Ms. Appleby replied in a gentle voice as she dropped her fork, reached across the table, and took Dr. Oliver's free hand in her own. "How are you, kids?"

"We went on a walk after school, so we're a little tired," Jason replied. "We're thinking of getting some food."

Dr. Oliver looked a little amused at that comment, "Adam, would you mind getting Ashley something to eat too, please?" he asked in a gentle voice. "Jason, Rocky, while your food's being made, remember to call your parents…"

"...To let them know where we're at," Jason and Rocky finished in unison, which caused Ashley to giggle.

Dr. Oliver nodded again and watched as Jason, Rocky, Adam, Tanya, and Katherine went to get their food. He could also see Bulk and Skull sitting at another end of the counter, quietly making short work of a small pepperoni pizza.

* * *

Laura opened her eyes and was surprised to see that she, David, and Kimberly were not in David's meditation shed, but in a large basement that had boxes scattered everywhere. There were large doors in front of them.

"Where are we?" Kimberly asked in a nervous voice as she held to Laura's arm fearfully. "I don't like this…"

David stepped out of the boxes and looked around before heading over to the door, "This metal door is really interesting," he said as he turned to face Laura and Kimberly. "Could you girls help me try and open it?"

Still holding tight to Kimberly, Laura moved over to the door and was very surprised when it automatically opened and she, Kimberly, and David were sucked into the portal on the other side without any chance to react.

A moment later, Laura led Kimberly and David into a room that closely resembled the Command Center, but looked as if it had been technologically upgraded. Kimberly suddenly gasped as she saw Billy laying on what appeared to be a med-bed with restraints around his wrists and ankles and a blanket over his clothed body.

"Oh, Billy," Kimberly whispered as she hurried over to the med-bed and gently stroked Billy's hand with her own.

Billy's eyes slowly opened and he looked shocked, "Kimberly?" he asked just as Alpha suddenly emerged from a chamber just beside Zordon's time-warp tube. "I thought you were with Prince Gasket? Did you ever find out what Rita and Gasket did with Tommy?"

"I came to make peace with the past," Kimberly replied in a sorrowful voice. "I don't want to talk about Tommy."

Alpha coughed, which caused David to jump, "Wow, what a cool robot!" David said as he backed away out of fear that Alpha might hurt him.

"Alpha, how did we get up here?" Laura asked as she looked around the Chamber. "We were in a basement…"

Alpha walked over to Laura and Kimberly, "Alpha, I want to give this back," Kimberly said as she held out the Pink Crane Ninjetti Power Coin to him. "I am no longer worthy of this and I want a life free from all of the pain I have. Let me forget the past…"

"Ai-yi-yi," Alpha replied anxiously. "Laura, how did you bring Kimberly and a powerless civilian in here? This Power Chamber is secret."

Laura sighed, "I was on this vision quest with Tommy's brother and I ended up in a room that I think was part of the Machine Empire's palace," she explained in a nervous voice. "I was in my Ninjetti form and that's how I brought Kimberly here. I thought that power had been destroyed?"

Zordon suddenly appeared in his time-warp tube, "Welcome to the Power Chamber, David," he said as he took notice of David. "First of all, you need not be afraid of me or of this place. Secondly, your desire to help a friend even without your powers enabled you to access your Ninjetti animal to get a great thing accomplished. Although there are bad after effects, Kimberly and Billy are no longer under Rita's control."

"Zordon, please take my Ninja coin back and help me have a life away from what I've been through," Kimberly said in a sorrowful voice as she looked up at the being that she had once regarded as a mentor. "I don't know what happened to Tommy after Prince Gasket locked me in that room, so I can't help the Zeo Rangers rescue him. I cared for Tommy very deeply once, but I've hurt so many since then and I can't love him."

Laura suddenly looked very afraid as Kimberly set her Ninjetti Coin on a console, "Laura, you and Tommy's brother have accomplished a great task today," Zordon said in a commanding voice. "I must now ask you both to return home and leave Kimberly and Billy in our care for now."

Before David and Laura could reply, they were teleported out of the Command Center, "Take a look in the Viewing Globe," Zordon said.

Nodding, Kimberly released Billy's hand and walked over to the Viewing Globe. She could see Laura and David enter the Youth Center and walk over to a table where Jason, Katherine, Tanya, Adam, Rocky, Ashley, Dr. Oliver, and Ms. Appleby were sitting. As David talked with everyone, Laura quietly slipped out into the hallway, sat down on a pile of mats in the corner, and started to cry. Laura's tears caused Kim to sigh sadly.

"I'll do what I can to help you even though I don't know where Tommy is," Kimberly whispered softly. "You cared enough to reach out to me."

* * *

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	40. Dealings of Destiny

_**Two Days Later**_

A cinderblock ceiling greeted Tommy as he opened his eyes and quickly realized that he was laying on something very hard, almost as hard as a rock. He tried to lift his arms, but they wouldn't budge and suddenly, thoughts of a destroyed world filled his mind and caused him to moan.

"Ah Tommy, I see that you're finally awake," Prince Gasket said as he hovered over the table where Tommy was completely restrained.

Tommy blinked and gazed up at the robotic creature that hovered over him, "Is my name Tommy?" he asked weakly. "Who are you?"

Prince Gasket was silent for a moment, silently gleeful that knocking Tommy unconscious after the capture seemed to damage the young man's memory to the point of not knowing his own name, "I am Prince Gasket," he replied in a smooth voice. "I rule the Machine Empire, Tommy."

Tommy was silent for a moment and then struggled against his bindings, "Let me out of here!" he said anxiously. "I'm not an animal!"

Prince Gasket was quiet for a moment and then sighed, "You're a slave who needs conditioning," he replied in a commanding tone.

The bindings suddenly disappeared and Tommy quickly sat up and looked down at the white gloves that resembled hands, "You are ready for your training," Prince Gasket said as he looked at the teen clad entirely in white with a silver star covering his entire white helmet. "As a slave, you will be expected to entertain my beautiful bride, Archerina. She enjoys seeing combat, so you will be placed in the arena…"

Suddenly, Tommy found himself in an arena surrounded by three Cogs, "You will fight for as long as Archerina needs to be entertained," Prince Gasket said from the balcony where he, Archerina, and Klank stood. "I expect a good show, slave; do not fail to entertain my Archerina."

As Tommy engaged in combat with the Cogs, Prince Gasket cackled, "When Tommy's Zeo Star Power is depleted, he'll be nothing but a shell of who he once was and then we can kill him," he said in an amused voice as he looked at Archerina. "I love how this plan came together!"

* * *

A tear fell down Jason's cheek as he stretched in the grass near the edge of Angel Grove Park, clad in gold shorts, white shoes, and a blue tank top that he had borrowed from Malcolm's closet.

The sun nearly blinded Jason as he gazed upward at the pink sky that had taken the place of the storm clouds that had inhabited the sky the night before; he had spent time with his parents at their home during the storm last night.

Now, while his parents slept, Jason had found himself jogging across Angel Grove Park in clothes that didn't serve much in the way of keeping his overexhausted body warm, but they helped him to be outdoors legally. He had left a note in the kitchen saying that he was going to go jogging and then go to school from the park; he had likewise brought his backpack and a poorly made bag lunch with him to the park.

Unfortunately, Jason found himself unable to start jogging and remained on the grass crying his eyes out about his missing cousin. He was so focused on crying that he didn't hear a vehicle park beside the curb closest to where he was sitting. Tears rolled down his face and he found himself drying his face on the grass as doors suddenly slammed and footsteps hurried across the grass. Hands suddenly touched his shoulders.

"Jason, sit up and look at me," Jason suddenly heard his father say. "I know you're upset, but just breathe and relax. You're not alone…"

Jason swallowed hard and sat up, "There we go," Thomas said in a soothing voice as he gently removed Jason's bag from Jason's shoulders and quickly replaced it with a warm jacket. "Your mom woke up this morning and found that you left without eating breakfast again. She found your note and immediately called the station Captain, who immediately radioed me and my partner. I hurried home and got you some warm sweats, a jacket, and I also brought you a couple of your mom's homemade muffins, a banana, a cup of yogurt, and a bottle of juice so you can eat."

"I haven't felt like doing much since my friends went missing," Jason replied as he looked at his father. "I just feel worse every day that passes."

Thomas nodded and sighed as he passed Jason the bag full of food, "Self-destructive behavior isn't the way to go about missing your friends and brother, Jason," he said in a concerned voice. "Your mother and I talked last night after you went to bed and you need counseling…"

"I was planning to chat with Doctor Oliver before school," Jason replied tonelessly. "He said that he'll listen to whoever wants to talk to him…"

Before Thomas could reply, the ground suddenly shook and there was a flash of light, "Thomas, there's something underneath that tree over there!" Jarrod Henry, who had worked with Thomas for 10 years, shouted as he hurried across the grass towards a tree across the area from where Jason and Thomas were sitting. Jason and Thomas turned and saw that there was a very still form lying at the base of an aged tree.

Jason didn't wait for instruction from his dad; he was up and running to the spot before anyone could stop him. As he neared the form, Jason suddenly recognized the very pale face and weathered form dressed in a tattered and bloodstained suit as Malcolm's. Malcolm had escaped…

"Dad, it's Malcolm!" Jason shouted, unaware that his father was coming up behind him. "He looks really bad; I dunno how he escaped…"

Thomas quickly knelt down beside Malcolm and Jarrod hurried back to the ambulance to get the appropriate supplies, "Malcolm's in the beginning stages of shock, isn't he Dad?" Jason asked, seeing how pale, yet very sweaty Malcolm seemed to be. "Will Malcolm be okay?"

Trying not to show how horrified he was as he touched Malcolm's battered face, Thomas sighed, "Pray," he whispered. "Pray very hard."

* * *

Chills shot down Laura's spine as she moved away from the window in her bedroom after watching the sun rise and quickly disappear behind the same storm clouds that had blanketed Angel Grove the night before. She had been up since before dawn and feeling immense guilt.

Even though her bedroom door had been closed the whole night, Laura had taken great care to be quiet to make the others in the house think that she had been sleeping the whole night; if Ashley or Adam had heard her, they would have figured she was having trouble sleeping and would have immediately told Dr. Oliver about it. Truth be told, Laura had been experiencing insomnia since Tommy had been captured.

Nobody knew about the guilt or the insomnia, Laura thought as she moved over to her closet and began thinking about what she wanted to wear to school that day. Although Kimberly and Billy were aware of everything that had happened, they were still currently recovering from their time serving evil and Zordon had immediately sent Billy back to his father's place in Angel Grove and ordered him to get some rest.

Kimberly, however, had thanked Zordon for his help and left the Command Center to spend time alone. She hadn't bothered to speak with Jason, Katherine, Tanya, Adam, or Rocky like she had promised, but Laura hadn't faulted her for that. Kimberly did, however, send a letter…

Swallowing hard, Laura quickly moved over to her desk and picked up the letter that Kimberly had sent that had not yet been opened; it terrified her to think of what Kimberly had to say to her of all people. Laura had been just getting used to the fact that she was no longer a Power Ranger and she was refocusing her attention on keeping as busy as possible. The letter, however, had made her feel unsettled.

Realizing that she still had to wake Ashley and help her get ready for school, Laura tossed the letter on the table and quickly changed out of her pajamas into a pair of denim jeans, knee socks, a long t-shirt, and a warm sweatshirt. She then quickly combed her long blonde hair and put it into a loose ponytail with an elastic band from her desk. As she grabbed the letter from her desk, a blast of nausea suddenly hit her hard.

Pieces of the vision quest had remained embedded in her memory and Laura hadn't even mentioned it to David, which she now regretted deeply. Letting out a deep sigh, Laura grabbed the plastic bag she had been using as a backpack until she could afford a new one and slowly left her bedroom. She heard noises coming from the kitchen and immediately assumed that Adam and Dr. Oliver were having breakfast.

When Laura walked into the kitchen, however, she was surprised to see Adam at the stove making a pan full of scrambled eggs while a stack of toast sat on a plate on the counter. Ashley was sitting at the kitchen table wearing boots, blue overalls, and a yellow t-shirt with a cream colored pullover overtop of the shirt. Her hair was in pigtails and she was eating a small bowl of Cheerios while reading the comics page.

Neither of them seemed to take notice of her, so Laura quietly slipped out of the kitchen and moved down the hallway towards the front door to leave for school. As she passed by Dr. Oliver's office, however, Laura suddenly felt an urge to tell her mentor about her strange vision quest.

Laura sighed and quietly knocked on the door, which immediately opened. Dr. Oliver was sitting at his desk working on some paperwork and immediately smiled at seeing Laura standing there, "Hello Laura," he said in a gentle voice, quickly setting the paperwork aside. "What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about that vision quest thing I did with David two days ago," Laura replied nervously as she moved into the office and slowly took a seat in a visitor's chair. "I found myself in a room and Kimberly was there; we talked and I ended up bringing her back home…"

Dr. Oliver's eyes widened, "You put yourself at risk to rescue Kimberly?" he asked in a very concerned voice. "Did you intend on doing that?"

Laura nodded, "I thought if I could find Kimberly, she could help me find Tommy," she replied nervously. "It's my fault he was taken…"

Dr. Oliver suddenly became very quiet and looked very heartsick, "I'm sorry to tell you this, Laura, but not everything bad that happens in life is your fault," he said in a very calm, yet very serious tone. "You have gotten a very raw deal out of life, as has Ashley; however, you nor your sister are to blame for the poor choices that others make. Prince Gasket and Rita made a choice to capture Tommy and you aren't…"

"Kimberly gave me a letter a few days ago," Laura confessed, cutting Dr. Oliver off as she held out the letter. "I haven't read it yet and I…"

Dr. Oliver carefully took the letter, but didn't open it, "Have you shared this with Zordon?" he asked quietly. "It seems to have affected you."

"No," Laura replied softly, deeply embarrassed that she didn't feel right about seeing Zordon again. "I'm not a Ranger anymore."

Dr. Oliver sighed, "That doesn't mean that Zordon doesn't care about you, Laura," he replied. "He'd want to know what you did…"

"Zordon knows about the vision quest and so does Alpha," Laura confessed softly. "I haven't felt well since I went on it…"

Dr. Oliver set the letter down on the desk and gave her a concerned look, "I assume David doesn't know that the vision quest made you feel this way otherwise he would have told me," he replied in a concerned voice. "For the time being, I have to forbid you from anything like that."

Laura nodded and sighed, "Where is Kimberly now?" Dr. Oliver asked in a quieter voice. "I want to talk to both her and Billy…"

"You'll have to ask Zordon," Laura replied as she slowly stood up and immediately wavered because she felt so weak. "I'm gonna be late."

"School doesn't start for another hour," Dr. Oliver replied, having seen her waver. "Please go eat something substantial and I'll talk David into giving you, Ashley, and Adam a ride to school this morning. He offered to give me a ride this morning, so he'll be coming by anyway."

Swallowing hard, Laura nodded and slowly moved out of the office. Dr. Oliver sighed and leaned back in his chair to think about what Laura had just told him. He wouldn't open the letter, as it was a gift for Laura from Kimberly; he would, however, make an effort to talk to Billy very soon.

* * *

_I hope I'm doing the right thing. _Kimberly thought as she walked through the canyon towards the cave where she knew Rita, Zedd, Goldar, Scorpina, and Zedison were currently hiding. During her time at the Command Center, she had written several letters to her former friends and had told Zordon of her plan to seek Rita's help in finding and rescuing Tommy. It would take a deal with the devil to rescue Tommy now.

"…That stupid metal-head Gasket!" Kimberly heard Rita screech. "He couldn't keep Kimberly from defecting because she loves Tommy…"

_Tommy, I can't ever love you like I did before, but I can save you. _Kimberly thought sadly as she neared the cave entrance and carefully peeled back the netting that separated Rita and her allies from the outside world, "…Empress, maybe love is what Prince Zedison needs to survive," Kimberly heard Goldar say as she crept through the cave. "Love is what helped Malcolm to escape your grasp, so maybe it is what's needed.."

"…Where am I going to find someone who will love Zedison and be willing to stay by his side for eternity without the aid of magic?" Rita screeched angrily. "If you're right, Goldar, then magic cannot interfere. We need to find someone who will willingly stay with him…"

_If I freely give of myself, I can save Kat's brother and Tommy. _Kimberly thought, realizing that Mark Hillard and Zedison were the same person.

There was a faint moan and Kimberly quickly moved into the next cavern just in time to see Rita and Zedd lay Zedison, who looked very pale and almost immobile, on a cot-shaped rock to rest, "Rita, we need to talk," Kimberly said in a firm voice. "I have a proposal for you."

"As I suspected you would," Rita replied, turning to face Kimberly. "I assume it has something to do with you wanting to save Tommy?"

Swallowing hard, Kimberly nodded, "I overheard what you were saying about Mark and how he needs love to survive," she replied in an anxious voice, silently praying that Tommy would someday find someone he could love freely. "If you grant me a favor, I'll help you and your son."

"You want to rescue Tommy from the Machine Empire, right?" Rita asked, an evil grin on her face. "As you may or may not have already guessed, that tin-head Gasket has very little use for Tommy except to make him fight as a slave until his Zeo Star power is completely gone."

Kimberly remained silent as Goldar and Scorpina moved to stand on either side of her, "I consider that a deal worth making," Zedd grunted as he gently stroked Zedison's pale face to keep the trembling young man in a relaxed state. "Zedison does not seem to have much time, Rita."

"You have a deal, Kimberly," Rita said as she offered her hand, which Kimberly took and shook. "You must tell the other Rangers, though."

Goldar chuckled and took Kimberly by the arm, "I will escort Kimberly to where she can meet up with the others," he replied.

As Goldar and Kimberly left, Zedison, who had overheard the entire conversation, groaned softly and promptly passed into a deep sleep.

"Save your strength," Zedd grunted, knowing that he would need all his strength for what was ahead. "You will need it very soon."

Rita scowled as she turned back to Zedd and Zedison, "I didn't want my baby boy to be married so young and without his sight, but you know how Divatox gets when she doesn't get her way," she snapped at Zedd while Zedison slept. "She had better have gotten that little wizard to pull off this trip. I hope once Zedison and Kimberly are married, we can forget about trying to conquer Earth and just go on a vacation for once!"

Zedd sighed and gently stroked Zedison's head, "Are you still planning to prepare that surprise for Zordon?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"The Zeo Star will not be able to help them soon enough," Rita replied in an amused voice. "I doubt they're going to create new powers. When their Zeo Powers do fail, we can then rule Earth!"

* * *

_**Knock, knock, knock.**_

Exhausted from the lack of sleep he had had the night before, Billy quietly hurried down the stairs and to the front door. His father had left for work hours ago and, since he had graduated from high school and was currently recovering from Rita's spell, he mostly stayed in the house.

"Doctor Oliver?" Billy asked as he opened the door and saw Dr. Oliver standing on the front step, leaning heavily on his crutches. Behind him, Billy saw a truck parked at the curb and he saw that David and Adam were sitting inside the truck. "What are you doing here this morning?"

Dr. Oliver sighed and immediately held a set of keys out to Billy, "I stopped by to ask if you wouldn't mind going out to my cabin and seeing if anything needs to be taken care of out there?" he asked in a gentle voice. "You can take whatever projects you're working on with you."

Billy was silent for a moment and then frowned, "Wouldn't it be better if I worked on my projects at the Command Center?" he asked softly.

"Are you willing to trust me, Billy?" Dr. Oliver asked in an unusually serious tone. "I'd feel better if you could take care of my cabin for me."

Billy nodded, "How long would you like me to take care of it for?" he asked in a curious voice. "My dad's been pushing me to get a job…"

"I'll be willing to speak to your father and to pay you if you do this for me," Dr. Oliver replied calmly. "You'll be perfectly safe out there."

Swallowing hard, Billy took the keys, "Okay," he replied nervously. "I've just been worried about Rita coming after me since I broke free."

"You need to pack your things, go out to my cabin today, and not waste a moment in working on your projects," Dr. Oliver explained in a grave voice, deeply worried that Billy's freedom would soon be taken away not by Rita, but by someone worse. "Keep in contact with me, all right?"

A horn sounded and Dr. Oliver sighed, "I have to get going now or David and Adam will be late for school," he continued. "We were going to also take Ashley and Laura, but they left on their own after promising to hurry. Call me tonight and tell me you got out there safely, okay?"

As Dr. Oliver turned and slowly hobbled down the steps, Billy quickly closed the door and hurried upstairs to pack; he hadn't felt anything from Rita in the last couple of days and obviously, the mental connection was fading. However, Dr. Oliver's warning meant that he wasn't yet safe.

* * *

Rocky quietly walked into the main area of Angel Grove Hospital and immediately walked over to the desk to check in. He had been called last night and told that his test results were back; he had then asked his parents for a note to excuse him from his first few classes that day.

While Rocky lingered at the desk waiting for the clerk to return, he failed to notice Jason, who had left his father and Jarrod to stay with Malcolm while the doctors helped him, come down the hallway from the emergency room with the bag of food in one hand. Jason had told his father that he would sit in the cafeteria and eat breakfast before heading to school, but seeing Rocky there made Jason suddenly worry.

"Rocky?" Jason asked as he approached his friend from behind. He frowned when Rocky sighed and turned around, deeply embarrassed.

Rocky's eyes suddenly narrowed, "Jason, what are you doing here?" he asked in a nervous voice. "Was…was Malcolm found?"

"Yes," Jason replied, concerned by why Rocky was acting so uncomfortable about being seen. "He's being treated in the emergency room."

Rocky nodded, but said nothing, "Anyway, what are you doing here?" Jason asked in a worried voice. "You're gonna be late for school…"

"It's personal," Rocky replied softly, quickly turning away so that Jason wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. "You should get to school."

Jason frowned and put a hand on Rocky's shoulder, but Rocky immediately jerked away, "Back off, Jason," Rocky snapped anxiously.

"What's gotten into you, Rocky?" Jason asked, surprised that Rocky was suddenly acting so angry. "Are you feeling all right today?"

Before Rocky could reply, the desk clerk returned and smiled at Rocky, "You'd better go," Rocky said as he turned to face the clerk.

Jason didn't leave, however, "I've got an appointment with Doctor Ramirez," he heard Rocky say in a soft voice. "About my tests."

Not wanting to disrespect Rocky's privacy even though he obviously needed support of friends, Jason quietly hurried out of the hospital to get to school on time; why would Rocky have undergone tests? Why would Rocky hide his tests unless there was something really wrong with him?

* * *

"…Ashley, why didn't you tell Doctor Oliver about that this morning?" Laura asked as she walked alongside her sister down the sidewalk towards Angel Grove Elementary school. "If your teacher and the principal want to speak with your legal guardian, it's a serious issue."

Ashley scoffed, but handed over the unopened letter that her teacher had given her yesterday after school, "The teacher and principal want to speak with my parent or parents," she replied in an upset voice. "Mom and Dad are dead and Doctor Oliver is only my legal guardian…"

"You know that the school won't talk to me because I'm not your legal guardian," Laura replied, tucking the letter in her jacket pocket. "I'll give this to Doctor Oliver for you, but you have to learn to trust him enough to ask for his help when you need it. He does care about you, honey."

Ashley's eyes widened and she suddenly stopped in her tracks, "Don't you ever get scared, though?" she asked in a soft voice. "I mean, aren't you ever scared that things are gonna go bad again? I was so scared when we came to Angel Grove for that Halloween thing that we'd get into trouble, but we didn't. I know you're scared too, but you've never told anyone about how you got hit a lot. At least I told Doctor Oliver…"

"I told Tommy," Laura replied softly, abruptly cutting her off. "You're right, though, I never went to counseling for it and that's wrong."

Ashley sighed and nodded, "I almost forgot; Doctor Oliver thinks I should do something after school and after homework," she said as they continued walking towards the elementary school. "He said that Jason teaches a karate class at the Youth Center and maybe I should…"

"You could ask Jason if you could join his class," Laura replied softly, pleased at her sister's interest. "It'll be good for you to try it."

Before Ashley could reply, Goldar and a nervous looking Kimberly appeared in front of them, effectively blocking them from reaching the elementary school that was on the next block. Ashley screamed and Laura immediately pulled Ashley behind her to keep her safe from Goldar.

"Relax, Laura, Goldar's not going to hurt you or Ashley," Kimberly said in a calm voice. "He brought me here so I could talk to you."

Laura nodded, but kept Ashley behind her, "Why do you want to talk to me, Kim?" she asked nervously. "I'm not a Ranger anymore."

"If you don't listen, I'll make sure you're even less than you are now," Goldar said in a threatening tone. "Do you want to suffer?"

Laura trembled, but sighed, "Let me get Ashley to school first," she replied anxiously, silently wishing that someone would help her.

Goldar immediately moved aside, "Ashley, go to school and go right to your class," Laura insisted anxiously. "I'll see you later."

Tears formed in Ashley's eyes and she quickly hurried past Laura, Goldar, and Kimberly towards the elementary school, "I'll be back when you are done," Goldar said in a menacing voice. "You had better act quickly, Kimberly, and then be prepared to live up to your end of the deal."

Kimberly nodded and Goldar vanished, "Kimberly, I don't hang out with Jason and the others anymore," Laura replied in an upset voice. "I was the reason that Tommy was taken and I'm no longer a Ranger; I don't have anything valuable to offer as a friend or even as a person."

"If you have the time, I need your help to talk to the others," Kimberly replied softly. "I want to tell them of the deal and say goodbye."

Suddenly, Laura was very scared and felt like she was a helpless fly in a spider's web. She felt her chest become tight and was trying to think of how to reply when Jason came jogging up to them with a half-eaten muffin in hand, "Jason, I need to talk to you," Kimberly said anxiously.

"I can't right now," Jason replied in a slightly stiff tone. "I have to get to school and tell Mister Caplan that Malcolm's at the hospital…"

Laura's eyes widened, "Malcolm's at the hospital now?" she asked in a shocked voice. "So that means he got Zordon's message…"

"I wanted to stay at the hospital, but my dad told me to go to school," Jason replied in a less terse voice. "Are you okay, Laura? You look sick."

Laura nodded and took a deep breath to relax, "I'm fine," she replied anxiously. "We should probably get to school so we won't be late."

"You promised to help me find the others," Kimberly replied, giving Laura a worried look. "I don't really have a lot of time, Laura."

A feeling of uneasiness filled Jason's heart as he watched Laura struggle with the decision of whether or not to help Kimberly, "Look Kimberly, I think you'll find Katherine, Tanya, and Adam at school," he cut in in a suspicious tone. "If you need to talk to them, you can do it there."

"Jason, I made a deal with Rita," Kimberly replied, not surprised that Jason didn't trust her. "Zedison didn't receive Malcolm's energy as well as Rita and Zedd hoped he would and they determined that he needs willing love in order to survive. I told Rita that I would willingly love and marry Zedison if she helped me to rescue Tommy. She told me that I'm supposed to gather all of the Rangers and she'll show us where he is."

Jason nodded, "I think we should talk to Katherine, Tanya, Adam, and Rocky at school," he stated. "We can talk to Malcolm later on..."

"We'd better hurry if we want to get to school on time," Laura said, taking off at a walk before Jason or Kimberly could stop her.

As Laura walked past the elementary school and towards the high school that was two blocks away, she replayed Jason's words in her mind and had noticed that he was referring to himself and Kimberly as 'we'; she didn't expect to be included in any sort of friendly discussions anyway.

Jason, however, merely gave Kim a long look that made it clear that he didn't trust her before hurrying to catch up with Laura. Even though Laura hadn't been a Ranger for a while now, he trusted her more than he trusted Kimberly; obviously meeting Kimberly had drained Laura and he felt it was up to him to gather the other Rangers, Laura, and Billy to do whatever they could to rescue Tommy, even if it meant trusting Kim.

* * *

A wall clock caught Rocky's eye as he cut through the emergency room to leave. It was nine and school had already started, but he had a note from his parents that would help him escape detention. However, none of that mattered to him at the moment because he was healthy.

Even though another blood test had been ordered initially, Rocky had just been told to eat more foods that contained iron and had been told that he was still cancer-free. He was so relieved at the results and now planned to do his best to stay healthy for the rest of his long life.

"…Easy kiddo, you've given all of Angel Grove quite a scare," Rocky suddenly heard Thomas Lee Scott say in a gentle, yet firm voice.

Rocky frowned and moved towards the sound; he froze outside of a large curtained area when he saw Thomas Lee Scott sitting on a stool beside a bed where a battered, very battered Malcolm was laying with a hospital gown and blanket covering his body. One nurse was busy putting IV's in Malcolm's arms and legs while another nurse was wrapping bandages around Malcolm's forearms and shins to protect cuts and burns that had been carefully treated. Malcolm was awake and looked very much like he wanted to be sound asleep, but he then saw Rocky.

"Rocky, what are you doing here?" Malcolm asked in a voice that was barely audible. Rocky sighed and slowly moved closer to the bed.

Immediately recognizing Rocky as one of Jason and Malcolm's friends, Thomas smiled, "Hello Rocky," he said in a kind voice. "How are you?"

"I'm feeling great," Rocky replied, frowning when Malcolm sighed and suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit. "Is Malcolm sick?"

A nurse quickly slipped a small pair of oxygen tubes into Malcolm's nose, "I just feel so weak," he replied in a faint whisper. "My ribs hurt."

"Malcolm, that's exactly why you're going to be in the hospital for a few days," Thomas said in a gentle voice. "You need rest and time."

Malcolm sighed and winced, "Maybe you'd better sleep for a while," Rocky suggested, horrified at the damage that Rita had inflicted.

"Maybe Malcolm will feel up to visitors after school," Thomas said as Malcolm quickly drifted off to sleep. "Thanks for stopping by."

Rocky nodded and, silently vowing to do whatever he could to help in the fight against Rita and other evils, he silently walked off alone.

* * *

It was noon before Katherine caught sight of Laura and she immediately frowned; Laura looked tired and like she didn't even want to be at school that day. Had Jason been right in that Kimberly's presence and dependence on Laura had physically and emotionally drained her?

"Laura?" Katherine asked, walking over to the small crowd waiting outside the cafeteria for it to open. "Laura, are you okay?"

Laura sighed, "Katherine, I assume Jason already told you what happened this morning?" she asked in a faint voice.

"Yes, Jason told me about how Malcolm's in the hospital and how Kimberly was bothering you," Katherine whispered. "Are you okay?"

As Tanya joined the line, Laura scowled, "I'm not someone you need to worry about anymore, Katherine," she replied coolly.

"We're friends, Laura," Katherine replied softly as the cafeteria doors opened and the line surged forward. "I really care about you."

Laura sighed, "After I was responsible for Tommy getting kidnapped, I don't deserve care," she replied softly. "Please excuse me, Kat."

"What did she mean by that?" Tanya asked in a concerned voice as Laura left the cafeteria. "She wasn't responsible for that happening."

Before Katherine could reply, Jason and Adam joined the cafeteria line, "We just saw Laura leave the cafeteria and she looked upset…"

"Laura told us that she feels responsible for Tommy being kidnapped," Tanya stated, cutting Jason off. "She's scared and angry about it."

Realizing that Laura was on the verge of self-destructive behavior because she felt guilty over something that wasn't even her fault, Jason frowned, "Adam, grab me the daily special," he said as he moved out of the line. "I'm gonna go and find Laura and talk to her about this."

"I'm coming with you, Jason," Katherine replied in a determined voice. "Mark was kidnapped by Rita, so I understand a little bit…"

Jason nodded and he and Katherine quickly left the cafeteria. Tanya and Adam were silent for a moment and then quickly followed them.

* * *

"Bulkie, not so rough, okay?" Skull asked, pulling away from Bulk patting his shoulder as they walked down the hall. "I'm kinda frail."

Bulk nodded apologetically and grinned at the badge on Skull's jacket, "So your mom let you join the Junior Police Force, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah, she said that it will be good for me and look good when I apply for college next year," Skull replied cheerfully. "What about you?"

Bulk suddenly froze and winced, "I have to pass a reading test before I can join, but I'm getting tutored," he replied. "Hopefully, I can…"

Suddenly, a manic yell filtered into the hallway from the gym. Exchanging a confused look, Bulk and Skull hurried into the gym and were both shocked and horrified to see Laura growling and viciously attacking a punching bag by alternating punches and wild kicking maneuvers. Sweat was pouring down her face and her ponytail had come undone, but Laura seemed not to take notice of anything or anyone around her.

"Bulkie, do you think Laura's okay?" Skull asked nervously as they walked closer to her. "I mean, maybe we should go get a teacher…"

Before Bulk could reply, Jason, Katherine, Tanya, and Adam came running into the gym, "Laura, let's go get some lunch," Katherine said softly.

Laura didn't reply and promptly stopped attacking the bag, instead slumping against it while remaining on her feet, "Laura?" Katherine asked in a concerned voice, frowning when Laura didn't respond and closed her eyes. "Guys, what do we do? Laura's not responding at all."

"Let's lay her in the recovery position first," Jason said, quickly remembering his Emergency First Aid training. "Kat, can you help me?"

Katherine nodded and Jason gently took Laura in his arms and eased her away from the bag. Katherine carefully grabbed her legs and helped Jason gently lay her down on a pile of mats that were for a class later that day, "Adam, go to the office and tell Mister Caplan to call 9-1-1 right _now_," he said in a firm voice as he checked Laura's pulse and noticed that her breathing was slow. "Bulk, give me your leather jacket."

"Is she gonna be okay?" Bulk asked in a worried voice as he quickly removed his jacket and handed it to Jason. "What's wrong with her?"

Jason sighed, but said nothing as he covered Laura with Bulk's jacket; he suddenly remembered what his father had said about some parents taking their frustration out on their children in the form of physical abuse and now wondered if Ashley and Laura had actually been abused.

"I told Mister Caplan what happened and he's calling 9-1-1," Jason suddenly heard Adam say as footsteps re-entered the gym.

Jason nodded, "Bulk and I will guard the gym doors to keep others from entering," Skull said nervously as he edged towards the door.

"I hope Laura's gonna be okay," Bulk muttered as he hurried to join Skull in guarding the doors; he felt bad that she had to struggle like she did.

Katherine sighed and knelt down next to Jason, "Back when I was under Rita's spell and I first met Laura, I saw some bruises on her chest while we were on Phaedos," she whispered in a concerned voice. "Do you think her getting sick today had something to do with those bruises?"

"Guys, what's going on?" Rocky, who had been told by Bulk and Skull that the gym was off limits, asked as he forced his way into the gym.

Laura suddenly groaned and moved her head, but didn't wake up, "It's my fault," she moaned quietly. "My parents, Tommy; all of it…"

Before anyone could reply, Laura suddenly went rigid and began to convulse, "What do we do?" Katherine asked in a scared voice.

"I had one of these once when I was doing cancer treatments as a kid and just make sure that she doesn't hurt herself," Rocky cut in as the wail of loud sirens permeated the quiet air. "Ambulance must be pulling up outside. I'll go tell the paramedics and Mister Caplan what's happening."

As Rocky ran out of the gym, Laura stopped seizing and lay very still. The gym doors suddenly banged open and Jason was surprised to see his father and his father's work partner rush into the gym with their medical bag on top of a gurney. Thomas frowned when he saw Laura.

"Jason, why don't you and your friends go back to class now?" Thomas asked in a concerned voice. "If you see Doctor Oliver on your way…"

Jason nodded and quickly stood up, "Oh Katherine, if you wanted to drop by and visit with Malcolm after school, I'm sure he'd appreciate that," Thomas said in a gentle voice as Jason, Katherine, Tanya, and Adam moved towards the door. "He's really weak right now, but still…"

Katherine merely nodded before leaving with the others, as Thomas and Jarrod were busy tending to Laura and didn't have time to talk.

* * *

The bell rang and as Ashley came out of her classroom, she was surprised to see Dr. Oliver standing in the hallway on his crutches with David, who was carrying his bag and his uncle's satchel, standing next to him, "Hey Doctor Oliver, hi David," she said in a nervous voice. "Where's Laura at? She said she was gonna pick me up after school today and take me to the Youth Center so I could take Jason's karate class."

"Laura got sick at school today and had to go to the hospital, Ashley," Dr. Oliver replied gently. "I got the letter from your teacher, though, and I left the high school early to talk to your principal. David was done class early today, so he offered to give me a ride here."

Ashley suddenly looked nervous, "I haven't been skipping any classes and I've done all of my homework," she replied in a worried voice.

"Both your teacher and the principal say that you've been doing very well," Dr. Oliver replied in a reassuring voice. "They're very pleased."

Ashley nodded, but frowned, "Can I go visit Laura at the hospital?" she asked in a worried voice. "I can take Jason's class another time."

"I want you to get your homework done first," Dr. Oliver replied in a firm voice. "After that's done, we'll go see if Laura wants visitors, okay?"

David smiled as Ashley nodded, "Can I at least do my homework at the Youth Center?" she asked eagerly. "I'm kinda hungry…"

"Sure," Dr. Oliver, who wanted to do whatever he could to keep Ashley healthy and happy, replied. "Let's get out of here now, shall we?"

* * *

The sun was beginning to slowly descend from the sky as the RADBUG pulled into the parking area that was next to Dr. Oliver's cabin. After turning off the engine and unbuckling his seatbelt, Billy gathered his things and got out of the car. An unusually cold wind was enough to make him hurry up the steps, quickly unlock the door, and shut himself up inside the house. It was very neat, yet very quiet in the house.

A quick walking tour told Billy that the house had recently been stocked with food and other emergency supplies; it was almost as if Dr. Oliver knew that someone would be coming out to the house and staying there for an indefinite period of time. Billy wasted no time in setting up his portable design table and the computer he had brought with him; his projects and ideas for projects were all safely stored on data disks.

Suddenly, as Billy was contemplating whether or not to make himself something to eat, a door that led to a broom closet suddenly slid open and Billy felt like he should explore the house. Carefully gathering up his papers and data disks, he went through the door and found himself walking down a spiral staircase into a dark basement like room. The air wasn't cold, which Billy thought very strange but felt no fear about.

As Billy's feet stepped off the last step, the upstairs door suddenly slammed shut and light filled the room; he saw a mini apartment in front of him with all the furnishings and extraordinary technology as well as a map on the wall showing a passage to the Power Chamber. Billy's eyes went wide; had Dr. Oliver insisted he come here to create backup assistance to give to the Rangers in case there was ever a time when the Zeo Star's power failed?

* * *

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	41. The Forces of Spirits and Spells

"I can't," Kimberly said in an anguished voice. "I can't get into the Power Chamber again."

Rita growled, "If you want me to show you where Tommy is, I need the power of the Zeo Star," she lied as she paced back and forth in front of Kimberly, who was sitting on a small flat rock next to the rock bed where Zedison lay in a deep sleep induced by Rita's magic wand. "Since I don't know where Billy is currently hiding, you will have to go to the Power Chamber alone and steal the Zeo Star."

"If the Zeo Star is not in the Power Chamber, the Zeo Rangers will not be able to use their powers to fight against the Machine Empire," Kimberly protested anxiously. "The Earth will be left vulnerable."

Just then, Zedd came into the chamber and looked down at Zedison, "He is no better in the sleep than he was awake," he grunted in an angry tone. "Is that bomb you left for the Machine Empire going to detonate soon and wipe those rust buckets out? The sooner it does, the sooner we can all go home."

"You left a bomb with the Machine Empire?" Kimberly asked, her voice suddenly fearful. "If Tommy's with the Machine Empire when the bomb goes off, he'll be destroyed along with the others there."

Rita nodded and gave Kimberly a look, "If you steal the Zeo Star quickly enough, I can locate Tommy through his piece of it," she explained in a menacing voice. "The Rangers won't have use of their powers, but I know that you love Tommy enough to want to save his life; no matter the cost."

"I love him, but not enough to risk hurting others," Kimberly replied in an uncertain voice. "If I take the Zeo Star forcefully, the ones holding the powers of the Star pieces could end up just like Mark."

Zedd grunted, "Kimberly has a point," he said in a gruff voice. "And it could also make Zedison worse."

"I doubt that," Rita snapped, aggravated at Kimberly's conscience. "Very well then, Kimberly…"

Before Kimberly could reply, Rita pointed her staff at her, "Perhaps you need a little help to realize that you will be saving Tommy's life and helping us get rid of the Machine Empire at the same time!" she shouted, cackling as Kimberly was hit with a red beam by the wand. "You will follow my command or else both Zedison and Tommy will die when the Machine Empire is destroyed! I need that Zeo Star!"

There was a flash of light and Kimberly suddenly found herself in a fuschia Ninjetti uniform with a vicious looking Crane symbol on her chest instead of an animal symbol. Her hair was covered by a head covering and there was a red glow in her normally calm eyes. A fuschia tinged sword was now in her right hand.

"Dark Crane, you are ready!" Rita crowed, deeply amused by what she had done. "You will now be able to enter the Power Chamber without difficulty and steal the Zeo Star by touching it with your sword."

Kimberly nodded and took a swipe at the air with her sword, "Yes Mistress," she replied in a dark tone.

"You may damage the Power Chamber if Zordon and Alpha try to stop you, but DO NOT cause damage to either of them!" Zedd interjected, awed by his wife's power. "Your only goal is to get the Zeo Star."

Kimberly bowed and immediately straightened up, "I will do your bidding, Master and Mistress," she said in the same dark tone. "After I return, I will be ready to take my place in your kingdom."

As Kimberly vanished, Rita grinned at Zedd, "Once we have that Zeo Star in our possession, we will send the Power Rangers to rescue Tommy without their powers and then we will have our day of victory!"

* * *

"One, two, three…kick." Ashley heard as she walked into the main area of the Youth Center. She immediately saw Jason, who was wearing a karategi and a fancy looking belt with a matching headband, leading a group of people, all of whom were wearing karategis and white belts, across the mats.

Ashley watched as the group of people all suddenly kicked upwards and then got into fighting stance, "Again," Jason said, not noticing that she was watching them. "One, two, three and then kick upward."

"_I'm going to give you to the count of three to tell me where your sister is, Laura," Ashley suddenly heard a slurred, anxious voice say in a sharp tone as she hid in the closet trying to be very quiet. "One, two…"_

_The closet door was suddenly forced open and Ashley felt herself being pulled out by her mother, who was high or drunk more often than not. It was then that the beatings usually happened; they were usually plucked out of their hiding places, verbally abused, and then beaten for several hours at a time._

_More than once over the years, Laura, who had done every free course offered through school, had waited until their parents were passed out or gone and then she would do her best to take care of their injuries with what little first aid stuff they had around. _

_When the injuries were too severe or they didn't have what was needed to fix it, Laura would take money from the stash their parents kept for parties and they would take a bus to Angel Grove Hospital since nobody knew them in that area. Ever since Laura was 12 and she was seven, that had been their routine._

"Ashley, are you okay?" Dr. Oliver asked as he hobbled into the Youth Center and saw Ashley staring at nothing in particular and looking almost rigid. Ashley sighed and nodded even though she stayed quiet.

Dr. Oliver frowned, "Ashley?" he asked again just as Rocky, Adam, and Tanya came into the room.

Ashley quickly turned around, "Can I skip Jason's class for today?" she asked in a quiet voice. "I'm tired."

"Are you okay?" Dr. Oliver asked, giving Ashley a concerned look. "You seemed so excited about it."

Ashley shrugged, "I'm just very tired from school," she replied softly. "Can I get something to eat?"

Dr. Oliver was silent for a moment and then pointed to a nearby table, "Why don't we sit down and I'll let you get something to eat after you tell me what's bothering you?" he suggested in a firm voice.

"I just started remembering stuff," Ashley replied in a semi-irritated voice as she marched over to the empty table and sat down in a huff. "It was cool of you and Tommy to come help us, but…"

Letting out a patient sigh, Dr. Oliver quickly hobbled over to the table and sat down, "I understand that you and Laura had a hard life, Ashley," he replied gently. "I'd like for you to trust me at some point."

"I was just thinking about when I was younger and how Laura used to take care of both of us after our parents hurt us," Ashley replied in a quivering voice as tears pooled in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry…"

Dr. Oliver sighed, "Don't apologize for being sad," he replied gently. "Would you like a tissue?"

"Here," Adam, who had unwittingly overheard the conversation, said as he held out a handkerchief.

Ashley sniffled and quickly took the handkerchief, "Thanks," she replied softly as she wiped her face.

"Why are you crying?" Adam asked, relieved to see Rocky and Tanya walk over to the Juice Bar.

Dr. Oliver quickly gave Adam a warning look, but Ashley quickly blew her nose and sighed, "I'm just sad about Laura being in the hospital," she lied in a nervous voice. "I've got homework to do, though…"

Adam didn't move, however, so Ashley slowly stood up, "Doctor Oliver, can I get a snack before I start my homework?" she asked nervously, hurrying away when Dr. Oliver nodded without any reluctance.

"How's Laura doing, anyway?" Adam asked in a quiet voice. "That seizure she had was pretty scary."

Dr. Oliver was quiet for a moment and then cleared his throat, "Jason's father took the rest of the day off to keep an eye on her since Jason's mother wanted to spend time with Malcolm," he explained in a soft, very concerned voice. "I'm not sure if they'll let me visit, as I'm not Laura's parent or guardian…"

"You're like a father to her and a lot of us, Doctor Oliver," Adam replied softly. "Everyone knows that."

Dr. Oliver suddenly smiled, "That's very nice of you to say, Adam," he replied in a kind voice even though he knew that Tommy would be the closest thing he would ever have to a child, as he was unable to have any biological children due to a serious accident years ago. "However, I don't wish to replace anyone's parents whether they are alive or not; it would be disrespectful to them and to Zordon to do so…"

"Class dismissed," Jason, who had suddenly noticed Adam and Dr. Oliver, said in a cheerful voice.

As the students filed out of the room to change back into their street clothes, Jason walked over to the table, "How's it going?" he asked in a gentle voice. "I thought you'd be at the hospital, Doctor Oliver…"

"Ashley's getting a snack before she does her homework and we'll go over to visit Laura after the homework is done," Dr. Oliver replied as he looked over at the counter. "Where did she go?"

Jason turned and saw that Ernie, Tanya, and Rocky were at the counter, but Ashley wasn't there, "I wonder if she went to the bathroom or something," Jason said in a concerned voice. "Tanya?"

"Yeah?" Tanya asked in a curious voice as she turned to look at Jason. "What's up?"

Jason sighed, "Can you see if Ashley's in the bathroom?" he asked in a worried voice. "She's missing."

Nodding, Tanya got to her feet and hurried out of the room, "Doctor Oliver, Ashley's right here," Ernie suddenly said as he came around the counter with a nervous looking Ashley. "She was doing dishes."

"Dishes?" Dr. Oliver asked in a worried voice as he slowly stood up on his crutches. "You don't have to do dishes here for food, Ashley dear. If you want to buy some food, I can help you with that."

Ashley nodded and quickly rolled down her sleeves, "How much homework do you have tonight?" Dr. Oliver asked in a gentle voice. "If you don't have a lot, maybe we could walk up to the hospital, visit Laura, and then get some dinner on the walk back home. It's a nice night and I could use the exercise."

"Isn't that gonna be hard on your leg?" Ashley asked in a curious voice. "Why not just take a bus?"

Dr. Oliver shrugged, "My leg will be fine," he replied in an upbeat voice. "It's not a very far walk."

"You know, I could drive you guys up there," Jason gently offered. "I want to visit Malcolm anyway."

Ashley reluctantly nodded just as Tanya came back into the room, "Ashley, where were you?" Tanya asked in a worried voice as she spotted the young girl. "Are you okay? You look really upset."

Deeply afraid that Tanya would judge her harshly, Ashley quickly darted behind Dr. Oliver, "I'm going to drive Doctor Oliver and Ashley up to the hospital so they can visit Laura," Jason replied in a worried voice. "David took Katherine to visit Malcolm after school, but I had a karate class to teach, so…"

Suddenly, Bulk and Skull came into the Youth Center in their Junior Police uniforms and walked right over to the counter, "Two milkshakes, please," Skull replied in a pleasant voice. "We're celebrating."

Ashley sighed and quickly hurried out of the Youth Center, "Ashley!" Jason said as he hurried after her.

"I assume you passed your English test, Mister Bulkmeier?" Dr. Oliver asked softly. "Congratulations."

Bulk nodded, but frowned as Dr. Oliver quickly hobbled out of the Youth Center, "What's with everyone being in a grouchy mood tonight?" Bulk asked in a shocked voice. "Detective Stone was the same way..."

Tanya sighed and she and Adam exchanged a look; they needed to tell Zordon what was going on.

* * *

_I don't even have the strength to sit up without help right now. How on earth can I continue to be a Ranger? _Malcolm thought sadly as he lay in his hospital bed, silently gazing at a covered tray of food that a nurse had brought by ten minutes before. _Rita really did a number on me just for my power…_

A jolt of pain suddenly shot up Malcolm's back, causing him to wince, "Hey" Katherine said in a gentle voice as she entered the hospital room with a small stuffed tiger in her hands. "I got this for you from the gift shop to cheer you up. I saw your dad on the way in and he said you've been asleep all day."

"I don't have energy to do much else," Malcolm replied faintly. "I can't even sit up without help."

Katherine nodded and walked over to the bed, "Do you want some help with your dinner?" she asked in a soft voice as she gently tucked the tiger in the crook of Malcolm's arm. "Maybe eating would help."

"My stomach feels really queasy," Malcolm replied softly. "Kat, how am I supposed to help the world stay safe from evil if I can't even sit up in a hospital bed without help? I'm feeling super frustrated…"

Katherine sighed and gently took Malcolm's cold, IV-covered hand in her own, "Zordon's not going to expect you to rush your recovery," she said in a soft voice. "We'll manage until you're well again."

"Katherine, I saw Mark," Malcolm replied weakly. "Rita took everything I had and gave it to him…"

Tears came to Katherine's eyes and she sat down in the chair beside the bed, "Rita didn't take your heart or your mind, Malcolm," she said in a soft voice. "You used your heart to escape…"

"I had this weird dream that told me I could escape if I really wanted to," Malcolm replied in a faint voice as Helen came into the room. Helen smiled at Katherine as she walked over to the other side of the bed.

Katherine suddenly looked nervous, "How are you, Katherine?" Helen asked in a gentle voice.

"I'm all right," Katherine replied uncertainly. "If Malcolm needs to rest, I can come back another time…"

Helen chuckled, "You're fine," she stated in an amused voice. "I think it's about time for his supper…"

"I might be sick after I eat," Malcolm replied softly as he caught a whiff of the food. "Smells good…"

Helen smiled, "You don't have to eat very much, sweetie," she replied. "If you want, Katherine can…"

"Me and your mum will both help you," Katherine cut in, grinning impishly. "How about that?"

Despite feeling drained, Malcolm managed an impish grin, "Two lovely ladies helping me eat sounds like a pretty nice perk to being in the hospital for two days," he replied. "I care for you both so very much."

Katherine smiled and Helen gently stroked Malcolm's bangs off his face, but neither spoke; they knew Malcolm meant what he said, as he wasn't one to express his deepest feelings to just anyone.

* * *

White sterile walls greeted Laura as she opened her eyes and she quickly realized that she was in a small, yet very private hospital room. She was even more surprised to see Mr. Lee Scott still in his paramedic uniform and sitting in a chair against the wall with a small black book in his hands.

_The seizure at school. I had another seizure. _Laura suddenly remembered as tears came to her eyes.

"Laura, how are you feeling?" Thomas, who had looked up from his reading, asked in a soft voice.

For a moment, Laura was silent as she gazed down at her hospital gown, blanket, and the IV's and clip on her arms and hand, "A little silly," she replied nervously. "I can't believe I had a seizure at school."

"Fortunately, you are going to be fine and you don't have a seizure disorder," Thomas explained in a soft voice as she looked back up at him. "The doctor who took care of you was concerned, however, about your untreated and painfully obvious post-traumatic stress disorder. He wants to talk to Doctor Oliver."

Laura nodded and sighed, "I thought it had gone away by itself," she replied. "I feel so tired right now."

"Generally, people who experience seizures are tired for quite a while afterwards," Thomas explained, having seen that sort of thing during his many years as a paramedic. "Memory loss is also common."

_Did I do something unusual before I had the seizure? _Laura wondered, a look of fear appearing on her face as she tried to recall the day's events and what had led up to the seizure. _I don't remember._

Before Thomas could comment, the door opened and a nurse poked her head inside the room, "Ah, you're finally awake, Miss Hammond," she said in a cheerful voice. "There's a Frank Oliver, Jason Lee Scott, and Ashley Hammond out in the hall wanting to visit you. Are you feeling up for visitors, dear?"

"I guess so," Laura replied in a tired voice even though she just wanted time to rest and think.

The nurse nodded and a moment later, the door opened, "Laura!" Ashley said in an anxious voice as she hurried over to the bed and gently hugged her sister. "I was so worried that you were super sick."

"I'm all right," Laura replied weakly, holding Ashley gently as Dr. Oliver came in. "Doctor Oliver, hi."

Dr. Oliver smiled as he walked over to the bed, "How are you feeling, Laura?" he asked nervously.

"Tired," Laura replied softly even though she was beginning to feel very uneasy about a vision-like thought that had suddenly entered her head about Kimberly being put back under Rita's control to cause trouble for the Zeo Rangers. "I'm still having a little trouble remembering what happened."

There was a moment of silence and Jason came into the room, "I stopped by to see Malcolm for a minute, but Mom and Kat are helping him eat," he said in a gentle voice. "How are you feeling, Laura?"

"Jason, would you mind sitting with Laura for a bit while I go visit Malcolm and get something to eat?" Thomas asked, quickly getting to his feet. "Doctor Oliver and Ashley can stay if they wish, but I'd very much like to get something to eat and stretch my legs. Laura, I want you to stay in bed, all right?"

Laura nodded, but frowned, "Ashley, go and get some dinner with Mister Lee Scott," she said in a firm, yet very tired voice as she released her younger sister. "Doctor Oliver, have you eaten yet?"

"I'll be fine," Doctor Oliver replied in a firm, yet very gentle voice. "Go on, Thomas, I'll watch things."

Realizing that Laura and Jason wanted to spend time together, Ashley moved away from the bed and silently left the room with Thomas, "Jason, I feel like something awful is going to happen," Laura said in a worried voice as she struggled to stay awake. "As I've been sitting here, I got an uneasy feeling and I had this vision in my mind about Kimberly talking with Rita; I think they're planning to steal something."

"The Zeo Star?" Jason asked in a worried voice, quickly falling quiet as a nurse came into the room with a covered dinner tray in her hands. He moved away from the bed so that the nurse could place the tray on the portable table, which she did very quickly before hurrying from the room to see other patients.

Laura sighed and gazed at the tray, "Maybe it's just because I'm hungry," she replied in a faint voice.

"Jason, can you help Laura start eating, please?" Dr. Oliver asked, intending to slip into the bathroom to contact the Command Center about Laura's supposed premonition. "I just have to use the facilities."

Jason nodded and took the cover off the tray as Dr. Oliver quickly hurried into the hospital bathroom. He knew that Billy would most likely be either at the beach house or at the Command Center and it was important that he, as well as anyone who might be with him, know of Laura's supposed premonition.

* * *

"…How are you feeling today, Rocky?" Alpha asked as Rocky lay on the bed undergoing yet another medical scan to see if the unhealed stripes on his back were starting to have an effect on his health.

Rocky sighed as he sat up, "I'm feeling great, actually," he replied as he looked over at Tanya, who was reading one of her textbooks to pass the time. "I really appreciate you coming with me today, Tanya, even though you probably had lots to do. I thought you had a study date with Shawn today? Adam, didn't you have to practice for anything today?"

"I broke up with Shawn," Tanya replied as she closed her book and returned it to her yellow backpack. Adam winced at hearing that, but chose to stay quiet.

Rocky frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that," he replied in a sympathetic voice. "Was it because of us?"

"No, it was my choice," Tanya replied gently. "David said that my personality changed while I was with Shawn and it took a while for me to realize it, but I finally realized the truth at the mystery party."

Rocky nodded and his gaze quickly traveled to the Zeo Star that hung in the metallic frame that had been recently constructed; all of the pieces glowed their color strongly except for Tommy's.

"I keep thinking about Tommy," Rocky said as he turned back to face Tanya. "I hope he's all right."

Tanya nodded and gasped as a piece of the wall suddenly opened and Billy stepped out with his arms around a large box, "Billy!" Rocky, Adam, and Tanya said in unison, both deeply surprised to see him there.

"Tanya, what are you, Adam, and Rocky doing here?" Billy asked nervously. "I thought I would be alone here."

Before Tanya or Rocky could reply, a shrill alarm sounded and Dr. Oliver's face appeared on the viewscreen next to Zordon's tube, "To anyone who is currently at the Command Center, evacuate immediately until further notice," Dr. Oliver's voice filtered through. "Danger is soon coming…"

"What danger?" Tanya cried nervously. "Zordon, how are Rocky, Adam, and I going to get out of here?"

Zordon flickered as Dr. Oliver's face faded from the screen, "Billy, take Rocky and Tanya through the secret passageway," he said in an urgent tone. "I feel that Laura's premonition is accurate…"

There was suddenly a loud boom outside, "Hurry!" Alpha screeched, gesturing to the passageway.

"Alpha, what about you?" Rocky asked as another boom sounded. "We can't just leave you."

Alpha whimpered and quickly gave Rocky, Adam, and Tanya a gentle shove towards Billy, "Hurry!" he repeated.

"We have to get out of here!" Billy yelled as he grabbed Tanya's arm and dragged her into the passageway with the box. Rocky sighed, gave Zordon and Alpha a worried look, and hurried after them.

As the passageway slid shut, Kimberly appeared in the Command Center and looked around, "Well, Zordon and Alpha, it looks like your precious Zeo Rangers care nothing for you and your safety," she said in a menacing voice as she walked over to the Zeo Star frame. "I need this star for my mistress."

"Kimberly, you are under another one of Rita's spells," Zordon stated. "We can help take it off of you."

Kimberly cackled, "I don't know any Kimberly," she replied as she brandished her sword towards the Zeo Star and promptly touched the blade against the center of it. "I am the Dark Crane; bringer of doom."

The Zeo Star flickered and then suddenly vanished from its frame into the sword, "Kimberly, without the Star, the Rangers will not be able to morph!" Alpha yelled anxiously. "Think about what you're doing!"

"I am," Kimberly replied in a less menacing voice as she held the sword out and it vanished into thin air. "There is no other way but this way."

A tear rolled down Kimberly's face, but she ignored it and instead cackled evilly as she disappeared. It was now time for Tommy to be saved.

* * *

It wasn't long before night had fallen and Malcolm found himself alone in his hospital room after their parents had taken Jason home after visiting hours ended, promising that he could stop by either before school the next day or after school.

As far as he knew, Dr. Oliver had stayed with Laura for a few hours and then had taken Ashley to their house at Laura's insistence. Katherine had managed to convince the on-duty nurse to let her stay half an hour longer, but then she had also left.

While Katherine and his mother were helping him eat dinner, Katherine had told him that Laura had suffered a seizure at school and was also in the hospital. Deeply concerned that it had something to do with Tommy's disappearance, Malcolm had wanted to visit her; however, he knew that it would be at least a few days before he would have enough strength to be of any help, so he decided to wait.

Even though he was tired, Malcolm found himself sitting in a chair by the window in his gown and a pair of scrub pants that he had been given by one of the nurses after supper. He couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened, as he suddenly felt even weaker than before and almost empty inside.

"Malcolm, are you awake?" Jason asked as he quietly opened the door and entered the room only to see that Malcolm was sitting at the window. "Mom and Dad got special permission from the hospital and decided to let me come back and sit with you tonight as long as I got enough rest for school tomorrow. Why are you sitting by the window? It's kinda cold tonight."

Malcolm sighed, but turned to face Jason, "Something's wrong, Jason," he replied in a hollow voice. "I can feel it inside."

"Me too," Jason replied, suddenly realizing that he felt unusually empty inside. "Do you suppose something happened?"

There was a moment of silence and then the door opened, "Jason, Malcolm, I have something to tell you," Laura said in a faint voice, trembling as she walked into the room holding to her IV pole for support. "I saw the Zeo Star being stolen."

"How do you even know about the Zeo Star?" Jason asked in a shocked voice. "You weren't there when we got our powers from it."

Laura sighed deeply, "I know a lot more than anyone realizes," she replied in a faint voice. "I just know that the Zeo Star has been taken."

"Who would want to take the Zeo Star and why would they want it?" Malcolm asked in a worried voice as he slowly got to his feet, walked over to the hospital bed, and sat on it. "I had a feeling that something was wrong when I felt empty, but do you think that the Star is destroyed?"

Laura shook her head and nearly collapsed because of the effort. Fortunately, Jason was able to put a supportive arm around her shoulders.

"I just know that Rita put Kimberly back under a spell and that Kimberly took the Zeo Star from the Power Chamber," Laura whispered in a trembling voice as she leaned on Jason for support. "That's all I saw and I don't know why; I thought Kimberly was out of Rita's reach."

Before Jason or Malcolm could reply, a nurse came into the room, "Sorry, I just had to visit my friends," Laura said before the nurse, who looked more concerned than anything. "I'm getting really tired, though. Could I please just go back to my room for the evening?"

The nurse nodded and Jason helped Laura to lean on her for support. As Laura was led from the room, Malcolm lay down on his hospital bed and silently stared at the ceiling for only a moment before he fell asleep. Jason then silently walked over to the window to gather his thoughts; if the Zeo Star had been stolen, how would they rescue Tommy?

* * *

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	42. Power of United Hearts

Five Days Later

_Tommy, I'm so sorry. _Kimberly thought as she watched Rita apply her magic wand to the white piece of the Zeo Star; the piece glowed red and promptly showed an image of an exhausted Tommy in his white Zeo Ranger uniform laying restrained to a table with probes on his helmet and he was groaning softly.

"His powers must be almost gone if they're not making him fight anymore," Rita sneered as she took her wand away from the piece and the image of Tommy promptly faded away. "Once the powers are completely gone, Prince Gasket will most likely kill him or slowly torture him until he can't handle it."

Kimberly nodded, her heart full of worry over whether or not the Rangers would be too late, "Rita, please, can you teleport Tommy's friends to where he is so they can save him?" she asked worriedly.

"Since you said please, I do have a spell that will teleport all the people who will be able to save Tommy to where he is being held until his death," Rita said in a smug tone. "The spell will send all the Zeo Rangers to the location and once they have freed Tommy, they will be teleported to a safe place."

Zedd grunted as he watched Zedison, who had gotten steadily worse in the last seven days, sleep, "Kimberly, how do we know that you won't go back on your word once Tommy is free?" he snapped.

"I gave you my word and I'll keep it," Kimberly replied softly. "I'll stay here while he's rescued."

Rita cackled, pointed her wand at the whole Star, and began to chant the spell of teleportation. Little did Kimberly know however, that Rita was also chanting a spell to send a bomb to the Power Chamber. There was already a bomb at the Moon Palace.

* * *

Malcolm was sure that the Zeo Star was gone forever; however, he didn't focus on the loss of his powers because it would be pointless and only tire him. He had to focus his energy on the future.

"Young man, can I help you?" a voice suddenly asked, bringing Malcolm out of his train of thought.

Letting out an embarrassed chuckle, Malcolm looked at the secretary who was sitting behind the metal desk in the junior high school's office, "Yes actually, I'm supposed to meet a Justin Stewart here."

The secretary was quiet for a moment as she looked at a paper that was on her desk, "Oh, you're part of the Big Brother program sponsored by the high school, aren't you?" she asked, looking back up at him."

"Yes ma'am," Malcolm replied politely, ignoring the urge to fidget nervously. "I'm Malcolm Lee Scott."

Nodding, the secretary smiled at him, "Justin's in the Testing Center," she replied. "Classroom 120."

"Thank you," Malcolm replied before slowly walking down the hallway to find the Testing Center.

As Malcolm walked down the hallway, a wave of fatigue suddenly hit him and he found himself leaning on a nearby locker for support, "Are you all right, Malcolm?" Laura's voice suddenly filtered into his ear.

"Laura, what are you doing here?" Malcolm asked, seeing Laura lingering outside of a small classroom.

Laura smiled and put her hands in the pockets of the denim jeans she was wearing, effectively uncovering them from the yellow sweatshirt that she was also wearing. Her sneakers squeaked as she walked over to him and the squeaking made Malcolm want to either sit down or go to sleep.

"Ashley's doing a placement test today," Laura replied softly. "Are you feeling all right, Malcolm?"

Malcolm nodded and took a deep breath, "I'm still a little shaky on my feet," he replied softly. "I only just started back to school today and it was a very long day. I'm hoping Justin doesn't want to do anything extremely physical today because I'm not sure if I can keep up with him. How are you doing?"

"I'd rather not talk about that," Laura replied in a nervous tone. "I'm just trying to get through one day at a time and make it until school break. Maybe during school break, I can figure things out easier."

Malcolm sighed, but didn't comment; he saw a look in Laura's eyes that told him she knew something so disturbing that she wasn't willing to share it with anyone. Or had she shared it with Zordon and Alpha?

The classroom door suddenly opened and Rocky came out, "There you are finally!" he said, grinning at seeing Malcolm standing there with Laura. "Oh Laura, Ashley's almost done her placement test."

"Where's Justin?" Malcolm asked, suddenly remembering that he and Rocky were in this together.

Rocky grinned, "The testing teacher's getting Justin to help out," he replied in an awed voice. "I swear, dude, that kid is an absolute genius. I think he'll be done soon, though, so we can walk him home."

"I don't know anything about working with kids, Rocky," Malcolm said in a nervous voice. "I helped at my dad's dojo, yes, but I was usually the one setting everything up while my dad worked with the kids."

Rocky chuckled, "From what I've seen, Justin's really a nice kid," he replied. "Just be yourself."

Before Malcolm could reply, a young boy with dark hair came out of the room in sneakers, oversized jeans, and a sweater that looked as if it was too big for him. Laura immediately recognized the clothes from being from the emergency box at the Angel Grove shelter, but made no comment about them.

"Are you Justin?" Malcolm asked nervously. "My name is Malcolm and these are my friends, Rocky and Laura. Laura's waiting for her sister, but Rocky and I are gonna be your buddies. Is that okay with you?"

Justin nodded, "I've read about you in the paper," he replied. "Aren't you some famous fighter?"

"I'm taking a break from that for a while," Malcolm replied softly. "How was school today, Justin?"

Shrugging, Justin moved over to his locker and opened it, "Same as always," he replied in a voice that indicated to Malcolm and Rocky that he didn't want to merely discuss school. "Can we go now, please?"

"Justin, I'll let you know when Ashley gets her results," Laura replied in an encouraging voice. "I wish we could talk more today, but I promised Doctor Oliver that when Ashley was done, we'd meet up."

Justin nodded and quickly closed his locker after pulling out a single binder, "I have a lot of stuff to do today, anyway," he replied in a soft voice. "Rocky and Malcolm are just supposed to walk me home."

Before Rocky or Malcolm could comment, Justin took off down the hallway, "I'll tell Katherine hi for you if I see her, okay Laura?" Malcolm said as he hurried after Justin. "Rocky, come on; hurry up!"

"I wish you wouldn't," Laura whispered as Rocky hurried away. "Nobody has to be my friend anymore."

* * *

"How was camping out at Doctor Oliver's this weekend?" David asked as Tanya and Adam entered the park where he was sitting under a tree studying. "Was it too cold to go swimming yet or not?"

Adam winced, "Tanya, Rocky, and I weren't camping, David," he replied in an uncertain voice. "We were at Doctor Oliver's cabin doing schoolwork because we needed to study. Zordon called us, though…"

"Kimberly's been turned back to evil and stole the Zeo Star," Tanya whispered in a horrified voice.

David's jaw dropped as he closed his textbook, "Can any of you guys use your powers?" he whispered.

"No, but we can still teleport into the Command Center, which is strange," Adam replied softly. "Alpha said that Kimberly came and stole the Star, but she called herself the Dark Crane and Rita's servant."

David paled, but before he could reply, Bulk, Skull, and Detective Stone came strolling into the park and over to the three, "Afternoon, all," Detective Stone said in a cordial tone as he passed Bulk and Skull some fliers. "Go put those all over the trees and anywhere else you might think people will see them."

"What are those?" Tanya asked, gazing at the posters in Bulk and Skull's hands. "More posters?"

Detective Stone nodded as Bulk and Skull took off at a walk, "As you are aware, Tommy Oliver and Mark Hillard are still missing," he explained in a somber voice. "The posters are just to remind others of that."

"Katherine and David still haven't given up hope that Mark will be found safe and sound," Adam piped up in a concerned voice. "Doctor Oliver seems to think that Tommy will also be found very soon."

Detective Stone nodded, but frowned, "What about Miss Hammond?" he asked. "Is she all right?"

"Laura's picking up her sister from school and they're going to meet up with Doctor Oliver at the Youth Center later, I think," Adam replied in a worried voice. "She hasn't been the same since the seizure."

Letting out a deep sigh, Detective Stone nodded somberly, "From what I've heard around the city, Miss Hammond and Tommy Oliver had a brother-sister type of relationship and she was the last one to see him before he was kidnapped on Valentine's Day. It's best not to bring up Tommy's name again to her."

Before Tanya, Adam, or David could reply, Detective Stone jogged off across the grass to check on Bulk and Skull's progress, "What's Katherine up to today, anyway?" Adam asked in a curious voice. "She can't be with Malcolm because he and Rocky were supposed to start being big brothers this afternoon."

"Katherine's at the Youth Center helping Jason with his class since Malcolm's still recovering," David replied, remembering what Katherine had told him that morning. "Everyone's just staying busy."

Adam sighed and sat down, "This seems like a pretty quiet place to study," he commented softly.

"Yeah, let's sit here for a while and then go to the Youth Center after our homework's done," Tanya said in a relaxed voice, slipping her backpack off her shoulders as she sat down. "What a nice day this is."

* * *

"Mister Lee Scott, I have a new student who would like to join your class," Dr. Oliver said as he hobbled towards Jason, who was watching Katherine warm his karate students up for the day's class. "Ashley?"

Jason smiled as Ashley, who had changed out of her school clothes into a karategi, came running on to the mats with her hair done up in a braid that hung down her back, "I want to learn about martial arts," she said in an excited voice. "I'm feeling a lot better now and I think it'll help me feel really good."

"Go stand with the rest of the class and ask Katherine for help with stretching, okay?" Jason said gently.

Ashley nodded and quickly joined the class in warming up, "I thought Laura was coming here with you and Ashley, Doctor Oliver?" Jason whispered in a concerned voice. "I hope nothing else has happened."

"Everything's fine as far as I know," Dr. Oliver replied softly. "Laura just wanted some time alone."

Jason nodded, but before he could speak, he and Katherine suddenly vanished from the Youth Center.

"Why did Jason and Kat disappear?!" Ashley cried as she hurried to Dr. Oliver's side. "I'm scared!"

* * *

The Angel Grove Shelter, otherwise known as the Little Angels Haven, was a familiar sight for Malcolm and his heart silently went out to Justin as they entered the shelter and stood silently in the foyer.

"This is where I live," Justin explained as he walked over to a smaller door just to the left of what Rocky and Malcolm assumed was some sort of registration area. "All the workers are off doing things with the other kids right now, so I usually come back here after school and read. It's usually pretty busy at night, though, as everyone gets the same meals and then gets about an hour or two of free time. There's a lot of different room depending on how old a person living here is; I stay in the room with all the kids."

Malcolm nodded, but Rocky frowned, "Aren't the people in charge of the shelter aware that you're mostly by yourself?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Maybe they could help you get into an activity."

"There are a lot of other kids here, usually," Justin replied as he pushed open the door and revealed a room full of beds that were all along the multicolored walls that were decorated with hand crafts, dream catchers, and various other trinkets. "This is where I usually spend all my time after school."

Rocky nodded, suddenly deeply embarrassed, "This is my bed," Justin said as he walked over to a small bed in the corner that had a blue flannel quilt on it that sat next to a small table that held a school photo of Justin, and another photo of a younger Justin with a man and woman. "It's pretty cool, huh?"

"Did your mom and dad make you that quilt?" Malcolm asked softly as he walked over to the bed and studied the quilt on Justin's bed that appeared to be homemade. "It looks really well made."

Justin nodded and frowned as he picked up the pictures, "My mom died when I was just a kid and my dad used to run a martial arts studio, but when she died, he started drinking and ended up selling his studio because he needed the money to drink," he said in a somber voice. "He's not alive anymore."

Letting out a deep sigh, Justin put the pictures back on the table and sat on the bed, "You guys brought me home, so you can go do cool stuff now," he said as he opened the book that he had been carrying.

"I know how you feel, Justin," Malcolm replied gently as he sat down on the bed next to Justin and Rocky promptly sat on the other side of Justin to help Malcolm. "My parents died last summer."

Justin looked up at Malcolm, deeply surprised, but before he could speak, Malcolm and Rocky suddenly vanished into thin air. Horrified, Justin quickly got to his feet and began to look around the room.

* * *

"…I was sitting with Adam and Tanya on the grass and they suddenly vanished into thin air," David said in a worried voice as he stood on the grass in front of Detective Stone, Bulk, and Skull after he had run after them to report Adam and Tanya's sudden disappearance. "I don't know where they went."

Bulk frowned, "Are you sure that you didn't fall asleep and they just decided to go do something somewhere else?" he asked, noticing that Adam and Tanya hadn't left anything behind.

"I was never asleep," David replied in an irritated voice. "I'm telling you, they vanished into thin air."

Detective Stone nodded, "Mister Bulkmeier and I will search here while Mister Skullovitch will walk you back to the Youth Center where it's safe," he said in a professional tone. "You don't need to worry."

David sighed, gathered his things, and got to his feet. He followed Skull out of the park with worry in his heart for not only Adam and Tanya, but the rest of their friends that might have suddenly disappeared.

* * *

Darkness greeted Jason, Katherine, Adam, Tanya, Rocky, and Malcolm as they suddenly touched down.

"Where are we?" Katherine asked in a worried voice as she put her hands out to try and feel around her.

Light suddenly flooded the room and the six Zeo Rangers found themselves standing in what looked like a martial arts arena. The mats were stained with blood and in the middle of the mat was a white helmet with a star on the face. Recognizing the helmet to be Tommy's, Katherine and Rocky hurried over to it.

"Don't touch it," Jason cautioned as he walked over to the helmet. "Where do you suppose we are?"

A loud cackle suddenly rang out and Prince Gasket appeared in the arena, "Welcome to my battle arena, Rangers," he said in a menacing voice as he walked towards them. "I see you found Tommy's helmet."

"Where's Tommy?" Adam asked, trying not to show or sound how afraid he was of the current situation.

Prince Gasket cackled evilly, "Slave, I have another fight for you!" he announced in a commanding tone.

"Tommy!" Rocky yelled as Tommy, now wearing torn clothes with his hair messy and cascading down his back while his feet were bare, entered the arena with a slouched posture and hopeless facial expression.

Tommy, however, gave the humans before him a blank look before focusing his gaze on Prince Gasket with a bow, "Yes, my Master?" he asked in a hollow voice. "You wish me to engage in a fight?"

"Malcolm, you should stay out of this one," Jason whispered to Malcolm. "You're not at full strength."

Malcolm nodded and was about to reply when Tommy suddenly lunged at him, "Yes, a battle with the Blue Zeo Ranger will do nicely, Slave," Prince Gasket said as he moved backwards. "Please begin."

"Zeo Ranger Seven, Blue!" Malcolm yelled, suddenly horrified when his Zeonizers didn't appear.

A wicked gleam suddenly appeared in Tommy's eye and Malcolm immediately moved forward to keep the others from being harmed, "Malcolm, don't," Jason said in an anxious voice. "You only just got back to school today and Mom and Dad said to take it easy for a while; let me fight him in your place."

"Jason, I don't want him to hurt any of you," Malcolm replied softly. "Please protect Katherine for me."

Before Jason could reply, a ring of blue and white fire appeared around the area where Tommy and Malcolm stood, "If you win, you can take the Slave back to Earth with you," Prince Gasket said in a menacing voice as he approached the other five Rangers. "If you lose, you all stay here with me."

* * *

The Power Chamber was quiet when Laura, who had hiked several back roads out of town and taken the shortest trail on the outskirts, entered. She had explained to Doctor Oliver what she wanted to do and he had given his permission, deeply relieved that she was finally going to talk about what had happened.

"Hello?" Laura called out in a nervous voice as she walked over to Zordon's tube and saw it was dark.

A beep sounded and the entire Power Chamber was suddenly flooded with light, "Zordon?" Laura asked as Zordon suddenly appeared in his tube and smiled down at her. "Zordon, can I talk to you?"

"I think I already know what you are concerned about, Laura," Zordon replied. "Yes, though, you may."

Laura sighed, "I had a seizure at school a few days ago and after it, I started having visions about the Zeo Star being stolen and it was stolen," she stated nervously. "I also had a vision about Kimberly and Rita."

"I am afraid that Kimberly has willingly given herself to Rita's service, but Billy is currently out of Rita and Lord Zedd's reach," Zordon replied somberly. "Did you have any visions after your last seizure?"

Laura sighed, "I just felt that I needed to focus on helping myself instead of staying a Power Ranger," she replied in a tired voice as she looked up at Zordon. "I don't know if I did myself any favors, though, by allowing myself to get into such an emotional rut, but I'm afraid to be around the Zeo Rangers now."

"I am aware of this," Zordon replied calmly. "However, Laura, the Rangers are deeply concerned about you and want nothing more than to know that you are well. You need to let them help you heal."

Laura nodded, but before she could reply, a piece of the wall opened and Billy came into the Power Chamber wearing work goggles and holding a metal box, "Billy?" Laura asked in a surprised voice.

"Laura, hello," Billy replied, smiling at her. "What brings you to the very quiet Power Chamber today?"

Laura smiled, "I came here because I needed quiet," she replied gently. "Life's getting very difficult."

"I understand that," Billy said in an empathetic voice. "Would you like to give me a hand with this?"

Raising an eyebrow, Laura looked at the box in Billy's hands, but said nothing, "It's a special project I've been working on for the last several days and it's nearly finished," he explained. "I came here to see if anyone wanted to serve as a test subject, but I need several people and it's kind of quiet here today…"

_Tick-tick-tick._

Laura frowned at the ticking sound, "What's that?" she asked, suddenly wondering if one of her premonitions about Rita causing further harm to the Rangers was about to come horribly true.

For a moment, Billy was silent and then walked over to a console at the other end of the room from Zordon's time warp tube. He set down the box, opened the console, and was horrified to see a small explosive device that was shaped like a small skull with Z and moon shapes on it sitting there.

"Billy, is that a bomb?" Laura asked in a horrified voice as she hurried over to where he was standing.

Billy nodded, picked up the box, and handed it to Laura, "Go into the passageway I just came out of," he said in an anxious voice. "It will take you someplace safe and I want you to stay there for now, okay?"

"What about you, Alpha, and Zordon?" Laura asked as she struggled to hold the box comfortably.

Instantly recognizing that Laura was being stubborn, Alpha quickly hurried over to Laura, gently grabbed her arm, and gently escorted her over to the open passageway, "I've got to stay here to protect Zordon," Alpha explained in a calm voice. "Billy has entrusted you with a great treasure, Laura."

Suddenly, the bomb began to spark and hiss, "GO!" Billy yelled anxiously. "YOU DON'T HAVE TIME!"

Terrified beyond belief, Laura nodded and hurried into the passageway with the box as the Power Chamber began to shake. The passageway door slammed shut as the Chamber filled with smoke.

Laura swallowed hard and began to run through the passageway as the shaking continued and got more and more violent with each step she took. She could hear Alpha's cries for help and Billy screaming.

_Jason, Kat, Rocky, Tanya, Adam, Malcolm, Tommy, I need you all. _Laura thought worriedly as pieces of the passageway ceiling began to fall down all around her. _David, Mark, Ashley, Justin; anyone, please._

Terror filled Laura's heart as a wave of energy suddenly swept through the tunnel and enough ceiling caved in that the path ahead was completely blocked. Swallowing hard, she clung tightly to the box.

As the passageway door began to slowly slide open due to the force of everything happening, a large piece of ceiling debris came down on top of Laura; both her and the box were buried within seconds.

* * *

"Your move, Blue Ranger," Tommy breathed in an anxious voice as he stared at Malcolm while standing in battle ready mode. "I have been a fighting slave of my master forever, so I am well trained."

Malcolm gazed at the small scars on Tommy's knuckles, but said nothing about them, "I can't and won't fight you, Tommy," he said in an anxious voice as he folded his arms. "I'd rather die in this fire."

"As you wish," Tommy replied as he lunged at Malcolm and knocked him to the cold floor.

Prince Gasket cackled gleefully as Tommy scratched Malcolm's face, "Tommy, stop!" Jason yelled as he suddenly leapt through the fire and landed in the ring unharmed. "Malcolm is your friend, Tommy."

"How did you get through the fire?! Prince Gasket screeched as the fire suddenly began to fade. "NO!"

Tommy suddenly let out a pain filled yell and rolled off of Malcolm as if he had been knocked off of him by some invisible force, "Malcolm, are you all right?" Jason asked, quickly kneeling next to his cousin.

Malcolm didn't reply, however; he slowly sat up and quickly scooted over to where Tommy lay unconscious and barely breathing, "How are we supposed to get him out of here?" Jason asked.

"Uncle Frank," Tommy suddenly moaned even though he remained unconscious. "Uncle Frank."

Suddenly, there was a loud hissing sound followed by an explosion, "WHAT IS THIS TRICKERY?!" Prince Gasket yelled in a scandalized voice as debris began to fall from the ceiling. "YOU RANGERS DON'T HAVE YOUR POWERS, SO HOW DID YOU CONJURE UP THESE EXPLOSIONS?! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!"

A loud cackling suddenly rang out, "DID YOU THINK I WAS JUST GOING TO LET YOU TAKE OVER MY PALACE AND EVERYTHING I WORKED SO HARD TO CONQUER?!" Rita's enraged voice roared.

Adam, Rocky, Katherine, and Tanya quickly joined Jason, Malcolm, and Tommy in the circle, "Join hands and let's focus on escaping here," Malcolm said in an anxious voice. "Our hearts can save all of us."

Knowing they didn't have much time, all of the Rangers knelt around Tommy and joined his hands with their own. Almost immediately, a bright glow arose and all of them suddenly vanished from the arena as another explosion rocked the entire arena.

* * *

_**Please Read and Review!**_


	43. Glowing Embers of Fire

_**Three Days Later**_

_**African Wilderness**_

Soft grunting filled Zack's ears as he made his way through the brush back towards the tribal camp where he and Aisha had lived for quite a while, along with Aisha's family and the other residents.

A slew of flowers that he had picked during his daily hike on the trail were in Zack's hand and he planned to ask Aisha if they could have a future together after pursuing any education they could. He had no desire to go back to Angel Grove and risk any future meetings with any of the demons of his past.

As Zack was about to turn off on to the path that would lead him into the village, the grunting sounded out again and he found himself following the sound even though it took him off the path. After a few minutes, he reached a clearing and was shocked to see a small, furry creature in multicolored, tattered robes sitting on a patch of grass holding a small bag that was hanging around his shoulder.

"Hey, little guy, who are you?" Zack asked as he cautiously walked towards the creature. "You okay?"

The creature's blue eyes sparked as it looked up at Zack, "Lerigooot," it grunted in a burbled voice.

"Your name is Lerigot?" Zack asked as he smiled down at the creature. "Are you okay, Lerigot?"

Lerigot grunted and suddenly looked afraid, "Come on, Lerigot," Zack said gently. "Let's go to the village and get you some food and a place where you don't have to be afraid. My name's Zack; come with me."

Lerigot grunted, nodded, and allowed Zack to carefully lead him through the brush and to the trail.

* * *

_Where am I? _Laura thought as she opened her eyes and saw that she was lying in a tunnel covered in ceiling tiles, dirt, and some sticky substance. It was when she looked down that she saw the box.

"Billy?" Laura called out, wincing as she forced her body into a sitting position. "Billy, where are you?"

There was no response and Laura suddenly felt worried as she looked around and saw that the path ahead had been blocked and that the passage door that led to the Power Chamber had somehow been blasted open. Ceiling debris littered the passageway back to the Command Center, trapping her.

"Is anyone there?!" Laura called out, unable to move because of the heavy debris on her legs.

Silence was the only reply Laura got and she knew that there was nothing to do but stay there, fight the pain from being under debris, and protect Billy's box from any harm. She had given her word to Billy that she would protect his mysterious box and get it to the Rangers however she could, even if she was hurt.

"Alpha, my sensors detect a life form and power source in the emergency passageway," Laura suddenly heard Zordon say in a concerned voice. "Go and investigate; we may need to summon the Rangers."

Suddenly feeling anxious, Laura tried to wriggle out from under the debris, but she couldn't move.

A light suddenly shone on her face, "Ai-yi-yi," Laura suddenly heard Alpha say. "Laura, are you all right?"

"Billy told me to get this box to the Rangers," Laura replied shakily as her hands began to tremble, almost causing her to drop the box that she had been holding. "T-the ceiling caved in on me…"

Alpha nodded and hurried over to her, "Just don't move," he said as he began to quickly move debris off of the terrified, mildly injured young girl. "Can you walk into the Command Center on your own?"

"My ribs sort of hurt and I've been feeling some sticky stuff," Laura replied, wincing as Alpha cleared the last of the debris that was pinning her down away. "How long have I been in this passageway?"

Alpha extended his arms for the box, "Billy was taken three days ago and the Command Center was temporarily damaged," he explained as he took the box from Laura's arms. "Try and stand if you can."

Ignoring the trembling in her body, Laura slowly stood up and placed a hand on her ribs, "I don't know how well I can walk," she replied softly. "I don't know what I'm going to tell Doctor Oliver…"

"You're injured," Alpha replied worriedly. "Just take slow steps and hold on to me; I can help you."

Laura nodded and clung to Alpha as the two slowly made their way back towards the Power Chamber.

* * *

_**African Wilderness – Tribal Camp**_

"Aisha!" Zack yelled anxiously as he led the tired Lerigot into the small hut just inside the village where Aisha worked helping people while she also worked to get her medical degree. "We have a problem!"

Aisha, who had just spent several hours studying, frowned at Zack as she came in and saw him standing in the front room with Lerigot, "I found this little guy alone in the jungle," Zack explained, smiling at how pretty Aisha looked in the tribal dress and headband she was wearing that day. "He's really scared."

"As he should be," Goldar, who had been sent by Rita to capture Lerigot for Divatox so that Kimberly and Zedison could be taken to Muranthias and married as soon as possible, hissed menacingly as he suddenly appeared in the hut brandishing his sword. "Give me the wizard and you both will live."

Aisha gasped at the sight of Goldar as he looked very repulsive, but Zack got in front of Lerigot, "What do you want, Goldar?" he asked in a defensive voice. "Why do you want to harm Lerigot? He's…"

"He's what Divatox needs to take Zedison and Kimberly to Muranthias to be married," Goldar snapped as he sheathed his sword. "Kimberly has betrayed the Power Rangers and is marrying Zedison there."

Hearing that made Zack speechless, but Aisha stepped in front of him, "Look here, you ugly gold thing," she snapped, disturbed that Zack was now too distressed to speak. "Why don't you just go away?"

Goldar laughed and redrew his sword, "My dear, you've got too much to say," he replied threateningly.

Before Aisha or Zack could react, Lerigot raised his hand and a beam shot out of it that covered himself, Zack, and Aisha and nearly blinded Goldar. When the light faded, Zack, Aisha, and Lerigot were gone.

"NO!" Goldar roared angrily, realizing that his once chance to get Lerigot was now gone forever.

An idea suddenly came to Goldar; if he couldn't get Lerigot to open the portal to Muranthias, he would find others who welded power and force them to use it to open the portal; it couldn't be hard, right?

* * *

_Attention students and staff,_

_Due to some personal business that currently needs my attention, I will be not be back on the premises until after Spring Break. Students can reach me through my phone number if an emergency arises…_

Malcolm sighed as he skimmed the rest of the note; ever since Tommy had been rescued from Prince Gasket's dungeon, there had been no sign of him or Dr. Oliver. Since Adam was over 16, Dr. Oliver had left him to stay at the house on his own with David checking in on him every so often, but there had been no sign of Laura, and Ashley had been invited to stay with the Lee Scott family for the time being.

"Malcolm, there you are!" Katherine, who had been worried when Malcolm didn't show up in the cafeteria for lunch, said as she walked down the hallway towards him. "What's the matter?"

Malcolm was silent for a moment and then turned towards her, "I guess I'm a bit depressed," he replied in a somber voice. "School seems so much harder now and I'm just not getting my energy back."

Katherine sighed and gently hugged Malcolm, "I've also been having nightmares," he replied as he allowed himself to be held by Katherine. "I woke up screaming in the middle of the night last night and threw up all over the bed in front of Jason, my aunt, and my uncle; it was extremely embarrassing."

"Aren't you a little old to be throwing up all over the bed?" Bulk's cold voice suddenly spoke up.

Malcolm paled and turned to see Bulk standing there with an amused look on his face, "Poor wittle Malcolm threw up all over the bed like the little baby that he is," Bulk cooed maliciously. "Now that Doctor Oliver's gone, I can pick on you without getting in trouble. You've had it coming for a while."

"Bulk, why don't you leave him alone?" Katherine asked worriedly, getting in front of Malcolm.

Bulk hooted, but didn't move, "I don't hit girls," he replied anxiously. "Get out of the way, Katherine."

"No," Katherine replied anxiously, unaware that Malcolm had suddenly leaned against Dr. Oliver's office door with a pained expression on his face and a hand pressing against his forehead. "Leave him alone."

Bulk scoffed, but before he could reply, Rocky came running down the hall with his backpack over one arm and two passes in the other, "Malcolm?" he asked, seeing Malcolm in such an anxious state.

"I-I'm fine," Malcolm replied, straightening up just as Katherine turned around. "What's wrong, Rocky?"

Rocky sighed, pushed past Bulk, and handed him a pass, "The elementary school just called Mister Caplan and Justin's being sent home sick," he explained anxiously. "Justin doesn't have any family, so Mister Caplan told us to meet Detective Stone at the school so we could pick Justin up ourselves."

Malcolm nodded and followed after Rocky silently, "Bulkie, you know, you're kind of being mean to everyone for no reason," Skull spoke up, disgusted with his friend. "Maybe you ought to settle down."

"Maybe you ought to get a life since you've got all the time in the world now," Bulk snapped, fighting the urge not to beat the tar out of Skull for his sudden assertive personality. "Shut up, numbskull."

Skull frowned and sighed, "My name is Eugene Skullovitch," he replied softly. "And I'm very tired."

Bulk's eyes widened and he gaped at Skull, "I don't know if I'm going to make it through the rest of school today, Katherine," Skull commented as he looked at Katherine. "I had trouble sleeping last night and I got a call from Ashley this morning who told me that Laura hasn't been around for a few days."

"Want me to walk you to the nurse's office?" Katherine offered gently. "You could call your mom."

Skull shook his head, "Mom's working," he replied softly. "I just need a little nap in the infirmary."

"You're not going ANYWHERE!" Scorpina yelled as she suddenly appeared in front of them. "I need two able bodied people with good hearts to help open the passage to Muranthias for Empress Rita!"

Katherine gasped and began to back away; without her Zeo power, she was completely helpless.

"Ah, a pretty little girl has a good heart!" Scorpina yelled as she advanced towards Katherine.

Anxious to keep Katherine safe for Malcolm's sake, Skull got in front of Scorpina and pushed her back against Dr. Oliver's office door, "Take that, pretty boy!" Scorpina hissed as she stabbed Skull in the side of the neck with one of the smaller spikes on the arm of her gold armor. "Now, as for the girl…"

Horrified that Skull had allowed himself to be injured to protect her, Katherine gasped and promptly ran off around the corner as Skull collapsed to the ground unconscious, "Hey, you can't do that to my buddy, you creepy gold lady," Bulk snapped as he knelt down next to Skull. "Skull, wake up!"

"You don't exactly look noble, but you'll have to do!" Scorpina yelled angrily. "Let's go!"

Bulk screamed as he and Skull suddenly vanished with Scorpina, leaving no trace of them behind.

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN LERIGOT ESCAPED?!" Rita yelled angrily as she paced back and forth in front of Goldar while Kimberly sat quietly with Zedison in a corner of the large cavern. "YOU IDIOT!"

Goldar trembled, but before Rita could strike him with her wand, a very thin woman who wore a metallic-like red dress and metal headgear under her eye suddenly appeared in the middle of the cavern with her purple ponytail cascading down the cape that streamed down her thin back, "Well Rita, this is certainly a step down from the Moon Palace," the woman scoffed. "I thought you married Lord Zedd?"

"We just destroyed the Power Rangers and that disgusting Machine Empire!" Rita snapped, aggravated at the woman's rude comment. "So, Divatox, do you have the ship ready to depart for Muranthias?"

Divatox scoffed as she looked over at Kimberly and Zedison, "The island is only for strong willed people and Maligore will not bless any ceremony between two weaklings. They look very delicate and weak."

Rita scoffed, but nodded, "Zeddy, bring me the Zeo Star!" she yelled into another cavern. "Goldar, go to Angel Grove, find the rest of those Power Rangers, and don't come back until they're destroyed!"

Whimpering in terror at the expression on Rita's face, Goldar nodded and vanished from the cave.

A moment passed and then Zedd came into the room holding the Zeo Star in his hands. Rita scowled and pointed her wand at the Zeo Star while mumbling under her breath. Almost immediately, a large multi-colored beam shot out of the star and promptly engulfed Zedison and Kimberly. Rita cackled madly.

"What is that silly little star going to do, Rita?" Divatox replied scornfully. "Give them courage?"

Suddenly, the Zeo Star exploded into millions of small pieces and the light faded, "Hello Mother, Father," Zedison said in a sharp voice as he suddenly got to his feet now wearing a ninja suit that resembled Zedd's body armor, but was less body-like. "I suddenly feel very energized."

"As you should," Rita replied evilly as she walked over to Zedison. "Zedison, meet your bride."

Zedd cackled as Zedison looked down at Kimberly, who had been stunned by the beam and was now wearing a dark purple medieval-style gown with a matching headpiece, "I have been blind since Ivan Ooze's attack, Mother, but I trust your judgment," Zedison replied softly. "Describe her to me."

"Kimberly is all that you need in a bride," Zedd grunted, disturbed by Zedison's blindness.

Divatox scoffed, but before she could comment, Goldar appeared, "Empress, I found two of good hearts that will prove useful to opening the portal to Muranthias," he said. "They are in the lower cavern."

"Oh, I put that sniveling little brainiac down in there as well," Divatox interrupted. "His name is…"

* * *

"C'mon buddy, wake up," Billy heard as he suddenly woke and realized that he was in the poorly lit cavern where Rita and Zedd had been hiding since the Machine Empire took over the Moon.

Frowning, Billy slowly sat up, "Bulk?" he asked worriedly, instantly recognizing the anxious voice.

"Billy?" Bulk gasped as Billy came over to where he and Skull were. "What are you doing here?"

Bulk gazed down at Skull worriedly, "Some gold lady attacked us at school and tried to take Katherine, but Skull got in the way and was stabbed," he explained as he gestured to the gold spikes that were still embedded in Skull's neck. "Skull hasn't woken up and I'm getting really worried that he's not gonna."

Billy sighed and silently checked Skull's pulse, "He's got a pulse," he replied softly as he examined the small spikes in Skull's neck and slowly pulled them out. "They look like they just put him to sleep."

"When's he gonna wake up?" Bulk snapped as Billy slipped the spikes into his pocket. "I'm worried."

Shaking his head, Billy looked at Bulk, "Give me your jacket," he replied calmly. "I don't know exactly when Skull will wake up, but as long as he's unconscious, we need to make him comfortable."

Bulk's eyes widened at Billy's sudden assertiveness, but he quickly took off his jacket and handed it to Billy. As he covered Skull with it, Billy's mind wandered to Laura; he hoped she was safely hidden with the box that he had entrusted to her before he was captured. That box would save the Power Rangers.

* * *

_I'm exhausted and sore. _Laura thought as a sudden wind hit her in the face as she sat on the sand of the beach where Alpha had teleported her after tending to her injuries. Alpha had taken possession of the box and Zordon had told her that she was very brave for risking her life to help preserve the Rangers.

The waves suddenly calmed and Laura found herself suddenly drawn to the water; she slowly got to her feet, slipped off her shoes, and swept through the sand until she was ankle deep in the water. She immediately relaxed and closed her eyes, only to be hit with memories of her past and Ranger days.

Laura winced and slowly knelt down in the water; what she saw was a very thin, very battered blonde teenager with a bandage on her forehead, messy clothes, and hair that very badly needed washing. She didn't know where she was or why Alpha had sent her to a beach instead of back to Angel Grove.

Blinking, Laura suddenly closed her eyes and could see another scene in her mind; she could see a poorly lit cave where Billy was talking with Bulk and helping an unconscious Skull. The scene shifted and she could see Rita, Zedd, and a pirate-like witch talking with a well-dressed Zedison and Kimberly.

_Tommy, I'm so sorry. _Laura suddenly heard Kimberly's voice echo through her mind. _I can't love you._

"Hey!" Laura suddenly heard someone shout from down the beach. "Why are you in the water?!"

The realization that she was most likely on private property suddenly hit Laura like a ton of bricks and she found herself frozen in terror, "Laura?" she suddenly heard Tommy's gentle voice ask. "Laura?"

* * *

A wind suddenly cropped up as Rocky helped Justin out of Detective Stone's car, "I hate the wind," Justin moaned irritably, gazing up at Rocky. "I don't know why you and Malcolm even came to the school; I could have slept in a jail cell without bothering anyone. I dunno why you were called…"

"You put Rocky and I as your emergency contacts, that's why," Malcolm replied gently as he got out of the front passenger seat of Detective Stone's car holding the bag of cold compresses, tea, and other things that they had bought at the grocery store after getting Justin from school. "Let's get inside."

Justin nodded and Rocky put a protective arm around him as they walked inside the Angel Grove Shelter, unaware that Detective Stone had turned the engine off to wait around just in case something happened that the two young teens were unprepared for; his car was much faster than an ambulance.

"Right, let's get you into bed," Rocky said in a gentle voice as they walked into the room where Justin, along with the other children at the shelter, spent his nights. "Malcolm can make you some tea."

Justin sighed and sat down on his bed, "It's just a little cold," he replied softly. "When I was younger, I would just get rid of colds by drinking tons of water and taking long walks. It was really cold at night…"

"Justin, that's not how you get rid of a cold," Malcolm said in a gentle voice. "Rest and fluids…"

Justin scoffed, "It doesn't matter if I'm sick, anyway," he replied crossly. "When this place closes, I'll probably have to find a place to sleep in the park; the shelter's having problems placing me…"

"What do you mean by 'when the shelter closes?" Rocky asked in a worried voice. "Is it really closing?"

Nodding, Justin sighed and coughed, "There's not enough money to fix it up and the shelter director hasn't been able to get any more from the city," he replied softly. "I'm getting really tired…"

"Why don't we go into the kitchen and get you a cup of tea before you have a nap?" Rocky suggested in a gentle voice as he sensed Justin needed a distraction. "While I make you some tea, Malcolm can show you some cool martial arts moves. When you're feeling better, maybe you can join Jason's class…"

Justin looked slightly happier at the prospect of something to do and he stood up. He followed Rocky and Malcolm out of the children's room and into the recreation area. Rocky went into the kitchen and Justin sat on a mat while Malcolm did some very basic katas to keep Justin entertained and happy.

"Whew," Malcolm said in a tired voice as he walked back over to Justin. "I'm already tired."

Rocky smiled, but didn't laugh at his friend's sudden tiredness as he put a lemon flavored teabag into a cup already filled with water, "Do you want some tea too, Malcolm?" he asked, gazing at his friend.

"No, save it for Justin," Malcolm replied as he sat on the mat beside Justin. "Maybe a walk would…"

Suddenly, Goldar appeared in the doorway, "You're not going anywhere, Blue Ranger," he said in a menacing voice as he walked towards them. "I've been given orders to destroy all of the Rangers."

"Justin, go hide in the kitchen," Rocky said as he came out of the kitchen and stood beside Malcolm.

Justin hurried into the kitchen and ducked below the window, "How can you fight me without your powers?" Goldar asked in a menacing voice. "You two don't stand a chance against me."

Since Rocky was physically stronger than he was at the moment, Malcolm immediately assumed a defensive stance while Rocky launched himself at Goldar. For several minutes, Goldar and Rocky were engaged in aggressive hand-to-hand combat while Malcolm and Justin watched in horror.

"You won't last, Goldar," Rocky panted as he delivered a drop-kick to Goldar's chest, knocking him back.

It happened quickly; Detective Stone was walking into the shelter to check on Justin and say that he would stick around so that the school day wouldn't be ruined just as Rocky was advancing on Goldar with another dropkick. As Detective Stone came through the doorway to the recreational area, Goldar grabbed Rocky's leg and flipped the young man into several backwards somersaults so hard that Rocky slammed into the far wall and fell to the ground. He let out a cry of pain and suddenly didn't move.

Anger boiled up inside of Malcolm and he ran at Goldar, punting the gold warrior back with very simple martial arts moves. Even though he was concerned about Malcolm ending up in just as bad or in worse shape than Rocky, Detective Stone used the distraction to hurry over to where Rocky lay. Justin came out of the kitchen and silently knelt next to the unconscious Rocky, tears falling down his young face.

Realizing that Malcolm would rather die than stop fighting, Goldar took three very swift, but well aimed swipes at him. Even though his forehead and forearms were bleeding, Malcolm continued to fight.

"This fight is not over!" Goldar snapped as he stepped away from Malcolm and swiftly disappeared.

* * *

"Rocky…" Laura moaned softly, frowning when she suddenly felt something wet touch her forehead.

Slowly opening her eyes, Laura frowned when she saw that she was lying down and that Dr. Oliver was sitting in a plastic chair beside her, "Miss Hammond, how are you feeling?" Dr. Oliver asked softly.

Ignoring the aching throughout her body, Laura slowly sat up and was surprised to see that she was in a bed and covered by clean clothes and a warm quilt, "Where am I?" she asked in a nervous voice.

"My uncle's cabin," Tommy, who had just been in the kitchen making a cup of tea to help Laura feel better, said in a concerned voice as he came into the bedroom and saw Laura awake. "I was out doing my daily walk down the stretch of beach that belongs to my uncle and I found you in the water."

Laura nodded and swallowed hard, "Tommy, you need to go tell Zordon and Alpha that Rocky, Malcolm, and their young friend Justin are in serious danger," she said in a trembling voice. "I-I saw them f-facing off with G-Goldar…"

Dr. Oliver quickly got to his feet, "I'll go contact the Command Center on the special computer and Tommy will stay here to make sure you don't get up," he replied in a concerned voice, wondering what exactly Laura had seen and felt. "Tommy, keep an eye on Laura, okay?"

Even though she was scared to be left alone with Tommy for fear that he would openly blame her for his painful stay with the Machine Empire, Laura nodded and was quiet as Dr. Oliver left the room, "When my uncle and I disappeared from that dungeon, he didn't take me to a hospital or anything like that," Tommy explained in a soft voice as he gazed at Laura gently. "He brought me out here and helped me to recover."

"Tommy, I'm so sorry that you got taken at all," Laura replied in a trembling voice, bracing herself for an explosion. "If I hadn't run upstairs…"

Tommy sighed and shook his head, "Then I would have been taken some other way," he replied softly. "Stop blaming yourself for it, please."

Laura sighed and was about to ask Tommy how he knew she was doing that when Dr. Oliver returned, "Goldar attacked the Angel Grove Shelter," Dr. Oliver said, having just been called on the phone by Detective Stone. "Malcolm, Rocky, and Justin were all there when it happened."

* * *

**_Please read and review! I miss reviews!_**


	44. Dawn of a Turbo Journey

The submarine was eerie, but it served the purpose of being able to bypass several dangerous cliffs and narrow rock passageways that stood between them and the island of Muranthias. Billy, Bulk, Skull, and Kimberly had been quickly escorted aboard and placed in a cargo chute for the journey.

Neither Skull nor Kimberly had regained consciousness, so Billy had spent his time trying to make them comfortable on the hard metal floor. Bulk, who was terrified beyond belief of this new adventure, had sat quietly in the corner watching Billy; it was unbelievable to him how and why Billy was so calm.

There was a loud creaking sound and Billy immediately knew that they had submerged; he could vaguely hear Rita, Zedd, and Divatox yelling at each other even though there were several levels of metal walls between the Bridge and the cargo hold. He knew that they wouldn't be proceeding directly to Muranthias because a certain type of power was apparently needed in order to get there unharmed.

"…Mmm," Kimberly suddenly groaned from the other side of the cargo hold. "It's so cold…"

Billy frowned and hurried over to where Kimberly was lying awake, but looking extremely confused and frightened, "Billy?" Kimberly asked anxiously as she gazed up at him. "Where are we?"

"We're in the cargo hold of a submarine," Billy explained as he knelt next to Kimberly. "Rita knocked you out so that you wouldn't try to escape and break your word to marry Zedison like you promised to."

Kimberly sighed, "I only made that promise so Tommy would be rescued," she replied softly, looking down at the outlandish bridal garb she was wearing. "I don't love Tommy any more than I do Mark."

Billy nodded and frowned as Kimberly slowly sat up and gazed at the floor, clearly needing space.

* * *

"…Are you sure your nephew is going to be waiting at the Angel Grove Beach for us?" Rita snapped as she guided Zedison to a seat and helped him sit down. "We need that crazy wizard to get us…"

Divatox, who was sitting in the command chair peering through the telescope at what was above the water, scoffed, "Elgar gave me his word that he and your gold plated friends would be waiting on the beach with Lerigot when we arrived," she replied haughtily. "I hope Elgar hasn't let me down."

Even though he couldn't see, Zedison was listening to the heated exchange between Divatox and his mother while his mind and heart were fraught with questions; he knew that all he could remember was being the son of Lord Zedd who was blinded after being tortured by Ivan Ooze. From what his mother and father had told him, his marriage to Kimberly would fully restore his health and create balance.

However, as Zedison sat there, he felt himself being lulled by memories of him not as Zedison, but as a blind young man surrounded by very kind teenagers that were close to his age. He could see flashes of a fight with an identical young man, yet there was no reason why he should know someone like him.

The aged face of a female warrior filled his mind and Zedison found himself visibly shaken by words suddenly filling his mind. _Your heart is not lost; use it to make sure that the good survives the fight._

"Mother, I'm not feeling well," Zedison suddenly heard himself say. "May I go and visit my bride?"

Thinking that Zedison was going to infuse Kimberly with evil energy, Rita chuckled and gestured to Zedd, who was lingering near the back of the Bridge. Zedd stepped forward and touched Zedison's hand.

"I will walk you to where Kimberly is being held," Zedd grunted softly. "Take my arm and follow me."

Zedison carefully grabbed his father's hand, slowly stood, and allowed himself to be led from the room.

"Aah, we're arriving at the beach now," Divatox said eagerly. "I see two humans with Lerigot!"

* * *

Still frightened out of her wits, Aisha helped the shaken Lerigot to sit on a log that happened to be in the small beach area that they had been mysteriously transported to. Zack, meanwhile, had gathered brush and small sticks and was trying to make a small fire with a small lighter he always kept on hand.

"We need to find Zordon," Zack mumbled to himself as fire suddenly hit the logs. "He can help."

Lerigot grunted softly, but remained sitting on the log, "Where are we?" Aisha asked worriedly as she gently patted Lerigot's shoulder to keep him calm. "It's absolutely beautiful here, Zack."

"I think we're on the beach somewhere outside Angel Grove," Zack replied, suddenly recognizing the place where he used to spend a lot of free time with Jason, Billy, Kimberly, Tommy, and Trini.

_Trini. _Zack suddenly winced at the thought of her name; Trini had died trying to protect Earth.

Before Zack could speak his thoughts, however, he and Aisha saw a submarine rise out of the calm water and come towards the beach. Aisha screamed and hugged Lerigot anxiously, but Zack remained quiet.

Suddenly, two shark-shaped missiles came shooting out of the bottom of the submarine, across the waves, and on to the beach. They zapped at Aisha and Lerigot, but both of them dodged the shots.

Swallowing hard, Aisha reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a small hand mirror that Zack had given her a few weeks ago. She aimed the mirror at the laser shooting sharks and smiled as the sharks immediately exploded all over the beach. Aisha smiled, turned to Zack, and was about to suggest that they get out of there with Lerigot when the top of the submarine opened and Rita emerged from it.

"Well, well, well," Rita said in a menacing voice as she gazed at the three of them. "Hello Zack!"

Aisha screamed; the memories of Rita suddenly resurfacing in her mind, "Zack, get out of here with Lerigot while you still can," she whispered in an anxious voice, intending to stay and fight back.

Rita cackled, raised her wand, and aimed a burst of light at Aisha. Aisha's eyes went wide and she collapsed on the sand, immediately falling unconscious. Zack gasped and ran over to Lerigot.

"You have two choices, former Black Ranger," Rita said menacingly as she pointed her wand at him and Lerigot. "You can either hand over the wizard or end up a corpse like your poor little girlfriend."

Before Zack could think of what to do, Lerigot grunted softly and made his way towards the water and the waiting submarine, "Lerigot!" he exclaimed anxiously, torn between helping him, Aisha, and himself.

Rita grinned and watched as Lerigot reached the submarine, "You lose," she snapped as she raised her wand and sent another beam of energy at Zack, one that immediately knocked him out. "Goodbye."

As Rita pulled Lerigot into the submarine and Zack collapsed, Zack was suddenly engulfed in a gray beam of light and he disappeared off the beach; all that was left was a dying fire and Aisha's lifeless body.

* * *

"I can't believe it," Dr. Oliver breathed in a deeply shocked voice as he looked away from the Viewing Globe and up at Zordon. "Why would Goldar want to attack Rocky and Malcolm for no reason?"

Zordon sighed and Dr. Oliver's gaze shifted to Tommy, who was now tending to the unconscious Zack at the med-bed while Laura was off in another part of the center with Alpha doing who knows what.

"There is a reason that Rocky and Malcolm were attacked, Doctor Oliver, but I want all of the Rangers to be here when I explain things," Zordon explained in a grave voice. "Can you locate the Rangers?"

Dr. Oliver nodded, but frowned when another image suddenly appeared on the view screen; he could see Rocky lying unconscious on a medical table strapped to a backboard with a collar on his neck while doctors and nurses worked around him. The Viewing Globe suddenly fritzed and faded to nothing.

"I'll have to go back to Angel Grove and round them up one by one," Dr. Oliver said in an exasperated voice as he turned to face Zordon. "Rocky doesn't look like he's in any shape to fight, though."

Tommy frowned and looked at Zordon questioningly, "Malcolm has a digital watch and maybe I can contact him through the watch and he can get the others," Dr. Oliver said, suddenly remembering the watch that Malcolm had been given for Christmas. "I'll try contacting him through it before leaving."

* * *

Jason's heart pounded in his ears as he ran through the foyer of the Angel Grove Hospital and immediately saw that his mother, Tanya, David, Katherine, Adam, and Ashley were all sitting in the small waiting area. He swallowed hard, walked into the waiting room, and was immediately surrounded.

"I was at the Youth Center preparing for class and I got the message from Ernie," Jason explained to his mother and Kat, both of whom had come over to him. "My last class got out early, so I…."

Helen nodded, "It's good you came as quickly as you could, Jason," she replied tearfully, giving him a gentle hug. "Your father and Detective Stone are talking to Malcolm and Justin about what happened."

"Is there anything I can do, Mom?" Jason asked, hating the fact that his mother was very overwhelmed.

Before Helen could reply, a solemn looking Detective Stone came down the hallway and his expression brightened a bit when he saw Jason had arrived, "Mrs. Lee Scott, I wonder if I might borrow Jason and Miss Hillard for a moment?" he asked in a calm voice. "I'm having a bit of difficulty with the interview."

Helen nodded, "Is there any news on Malcolm or Rocky's condition yet, Detective Stone?" she asked worriedly, only briefly comforted when Katherine put a gentle arm around her. "We're all so worried."

Jason sighed, "C'mon Katherine," he said in a worried voice. "We should go help Detective Stone."

Deeply worried that Malcolm wasn't handling things well, Katherine nodded and walked alongside Jason as Detective Stone led them from the waiting room. Jason, of course, was very concerned about both Malcolm and Rocky's conditions, but he knew that asking questions would only add to people's stress.

* * *

While doctors and nurses worked on stabilizing the seriously injured and unconscious Rocky in one of the hospital's many trauma rooms, Malcolm lingered in the hallway outside and silently watched as his friend's life hung in the balance. Guilt and pain surged through Malcolm; he should have fought harder.

Malcolm sighed; a nurse had stitched up his injuries and had left him to sit in a curtained area to be interviewed by Detective Stone while Justin had been taken to another room to be given fluids for his cold and an opportunity to rest. The Zeo Powers were gone, Laura was missing, and now Rocky…

"Malcolm, I thought I told you to stay in bed?" Detective Stone, who was walking with Jason and Katherine to the curtained area, asked as he saw Malcolm standing outside of the trauma room.

Malcolm didn't reply and Jason immediately walked over to him, "Detective Stone, Kat and I will make sure Malcolm goes back to bed," he said in a gentle voice. "Just give us a few minutes with him, okay?"

Detective Stone nodded and walked off to talk to the crowd in the waiting room, "Goldar showed us no mercy," Malcolm whispered in a hollow voice. "I feel like something's very wrong now, Jason…"

Before Jason could reply, the doors to the trauma room opened and the gurney holding Rocky was suddenly wheeled out into the hallway, "We're taking him to surgery now," one of the nurses explained in a professional voice, seeing their distraught expressions. "Your friend might be paralyzed…"

The word _paralyzed_ hit Malcolm like a ton of bricks and he lost all color in his face as the gurney was rolled off down the hallway; he suddenly felt lightheaded and immediately felt himself being grabbed from behind, "Jason, I'm all right," he whispered as he felt Jason guide him over to a wheelchair.

"Just sit down," Jason replied softly as he helped Malcolm sit. "It's not your fault this happened, man."

Malcolm sighed and suddenly closed his eyes. He placed a hand over his eyes and quietly started to cry into his hand. A sudden beeping caused him to look up and look at the digital watch on his wrist.

"9-1-1," Malcolm whispered, confused by the numbers on his watch. "Is someone asking for help?"

Jason thought for a moment and then frowned, "Do you think Zordon's trying to get in touch with us?" he asked in a soft voice so he wouldn't be overheard. "We might be needed, but we also need powers."

"I wonder if there's any way to reply," Malcolm replied softly as he began to fiddle with the buttons.

There were a few soft beeps and suddenly, Jason, Katherine, and Malcolm teleported out of the hallway.

* * *

The lights flickered and suddenly died; a moment later, the lights were restored but Mrs. Lee Scott, Ashley, and Detective Stone were nowhere to be seen. Adam, Tanya, and David looked around in confusion and were shocked when a nurse came into the room, "Excuse me, we're wondering about Rocky DeSantos and Malcolm Lee Scott," Tanya said in an anxious voice as she gave the nurse a worried look.

For a moment, the nurse quietly checked her chart, "Oh, Malcolm Lee Scott was discharged nearly an hour ago and his parents took him and Ashley Hammond home," she replied calmly. "Rocky DeSantos is still in surgery and his family is upstairs in the surgical waiting room; would you like me to take you up to the waiting room?"

"No, thank you," Adam quickly replied, confused as to what had happened. "We'll come back later."

As the nurse walked off, Adam and Tanya exchanged a confused look, "We were just here with Kat and the Lee Scotts," Adam said as they both looked at David. "What do you suppose happened, David?"

"I don't know," David replied in a soft voice. "Maybe Zordon is trying to contact you and Adam?"

Tanya shrugged, but before she could reply, she and Adam were suddenly teleported from the waiting room. David's eyes widened briefly before he composed himself and quietly left the hospital. David knew that Zordon needed the Rangers and didn't mind one bit.

* * *

The Power Chamber was quiet as Jason, Katherine, Malcolm, Adam, and Tanya touched down in the Command Center area facing Zordon. Tommy looked up from the med-bed and smiled when he saw five of his friends, but he couldn't help wonder where Rocky was. Zack, meanwhile, remained unconscious and covered by a pod that sustained his life via electric currents, so nobody knew he was there.

"Where's Rocky?" Tommy asked as he moved away from the med-bed and over to his friends.

Malcolm sighed, "Rocky and I were attacked by Goldar at the shelter and Rocky's in the hospital," he replied in a somber voice, not wanting to talk about it. "I don't think he'll be able to join us."

"Malcolm is right, Tommy," Zordon replied. "Although Rocky is injured, there is a new evil that needs to be dealt with; a wizard named Lerigot from the planet Liaria was taken hostage by a space pirate…"

Jason frowned, "The Zeo Powers were destroyed," he replied in a worried voice. "How can we help?"

"Billy knew that the Zeo Powers would be destroyed, so he created new ones," Alpha replied as he suddenly came into the command area holding the box that Laura had given him. "Turbo powers."

There was a moment of silence and Alpha opened the box, revealing six Morphers with small keys in front of them, "The Morphers can be activated by a special key," Zordon explained as he gazed at each of the six Rangers who stood before him. "Malcolm, are you sure you're well enough to participate?"

"Yes Zordon," Malcolm replied in a determined voice. "I'm well enough to participate in this mission."

Katherine peered closer at the box and noticed that there was a space in the box that looked big enough to hold a Morpher and a key, "There's a Morpher missing," she said in a worried voice. "Where is it?"

"Maybe Billy will be able to join us," Tanya said excitedly, as she had been missing Billy quite a bit.

Alpha cleared his throat anxiously, "Jason, step forward and take the Gold Morpher and key," Zordon said in a commanding voice. "You are the Gold Turbo Ranger and you will control the Sandy Wind Turbo Zord. With this Zord, you will be able to have the power of the desert at your disposal when needed."

Nodding, Jason stepped forward and took his Morpher equipment, "Tommy, step forward and take the Red Morpher and key," Zordon stated, causing Tommy to look surprised. "You are the Red Turbo Ranger and will control the Red Lightning Turbozord. You will serve as a co-leader of the team alongside Jason."

"Adam, you are the Green Turbo Ranger," Zordon said as Tommy stepped forward and took his Morpher and key. "You will control the Desert Thunder Turbozord in conjunction with the Sandy Wind Zord."

Adam nodded and quickly grabbed his Morpher and key from the box, "Katherine, you are the Pink Turbo Ranger," Zordon said as Katherine stepped forward. "The Wind Chaser Turbozord is yours."

Katherine smiled and took her Morpher and key, "Tanya, you are the Yellow Turbo Ranger," Zordon explained as Tanya stepped forward and took her Morpher and key. "You will control the Dune Star Turbozord and you will work will with the rest of the Rangers in completing this dangerous mission."

As Tanya stepped forward and claimed her key, Malcolm also stepped forward and took the white Morpher and key from the box, "Malcolm, you are the White Turbo Ranger," Zordon explained. "You will pilot the Glacier Snow Hummer and you will also weld the power to summon the elements of winter. Only use this power in times of great need."

"Where's the missing Morpher, Zordon?" Malcolm asked in a concerned voice. "We need more help…"

Suddenly, the door to the Chamber of Light opened and a figure clad in a blue power suit and helmet came walking into the command center, "Billy?" Tanya asked, hoping that Billy was joining them.

The figure silently reached up, unclipped its helmet, and removed it, revealing Laura's tired, but very determined face underneath. She looked unusually energized and her blonde hair was in a tight bun. Jason smiled at seeing that Laura was safe, as did Tommy, Katherine, Malcolm, and Adam. Tanya, however, was disappointed at Billy's absence.

"Billy was kidnapped, but gave me the box containing the Turbo Morphers," Laura explained as she walked over to the others. "Doctor Oliver and Alpha thought I would be the best one to take on Rocky's powers because I've had experience as a Ranger and I've come very far since giving my powers up. I'm the Blue Turbo Ranger and Zordon and Alpha already briefed me on my powers; I'll be manning the Mountain Blaster Turbozord..."

Jason, Adam, and Tommy frowned, "What do you mean Billy was kidnapped?" Adam asked worriedly, finally noticing the look that Tanya was giving him.

"Rangers, behold the Viewing Globe," Zordon said in a firm voice. "I will explain what you see."

Jason, Katherine, Tommy, Adam, Laura, Malcolm, and Tanya quickly gathered around the Viewing Globe just as an image of a murky cargo hold appeared. Bulk was helping Skull, who was lying on the floor, while Kimberly and a young man in a Zedd-like suit talked in another corner of the cargo hold. Billy was sitting alone in the other corner, quietly watching as Kimberly and the young man talked.

"That's Mark!" Katherine exclaimed in an anxious voice, immediately recognizing her brother.

Tommy frowned just as Zedd came into view, spoke to the man in the Zedd-like costume, and escorted him from the cargo bay. He watched as Kimberly walked over to Billy and carefully embraced him.

"The wizard Lerigot has powers that can take Divatox's submarine to the island of Muranthias," Zordon explained, prompting the seven Rangers to turn back towards him. "In order to be able to unleash the demon Maligore who lives on the island, Divatox must offer pure sacrifices. She has fooled Rita and Zedd into thinking that Zedison and Kimberly will be married on the island instead of being sacrificed."

At hearing that Kimberly had given herself to Rita and was set to marry Rita and Zedd's son, Tommy paled and swallowed hard, "Are you saying that Mark has no memories other than of being Zedison?" Katherine asked in a concerned voice as she struggled not to cry. "Is there anything we can do…?"

"You seven must take your Zords to a harbor listed in the navigational system and board a vessel called the Ghostly Galleon," Zordon explained. "The ship will take you through a passageway to the island of Muranthias and you will have two tasks; to stop the demon Maligore from being unleashed and also rescuing Bulk, Skull, Billy, Kimberly, and Mark from the fates given to them by Rita, Zedd, and Divatox."

All seven Rangers were silent, so Zordon cleared his throat, "May the Power Protect you," he stated. A moment later, the seven were teleported from the Power Chamber.

* * *

Justin sighed as he gazed at the boring hospital bed where a nurse had made him sit and receive fluids through an IV in his hand so he wouldn't get sicker. He had refused a gown and had elected to stay in his jeans, socks, and sweatshirt because it was more comfortable; he had taken off his shoes, however.

"Justin?" Detective Stone asked as he suddenly came into the room with Dr. Oliver, who had already spoken to Rocky's parents and the Lee Scotts, at his heels. "Justin, you're well enough to go home…"

Justin scoffed, "I live in a shelter that's gonna be closed down," he replied tiredly. "Besides, I wanna stay and see if Rocky's gonna be all right; I was really, really scared when that gold guy beat him up."

"You can stay at my place for a few days since Adam, Tommy, and Laura are off doing some project for school," Dr. Oliver, who had worked with Zordon to make everyone think that the other Rangers except for Malcolm were off doing a school project instead of something dangerous, stated in a gentle voice. "You need to rest."

Justin sighed, "Will Ashley be there too?" he asked in a semi-eager voice. "She's a good friend."

"I can pick her up from the Lee Scotts on the way to my house," Dr. Oliver replied calmly. "If you're feeling better in a couple of days, I'll bring you to visit Rocky. Now isn't a good time to visit him, though."

Justin nodded, "Okay," he replied in a soft voice. "The nurse said I gotta stay til the bag's empty, though."

"I can stay with you until you're released," Dr. Oliver replied gently. "Thanks for the help, Detective Stone."

Detective Stone nodded and quietly left the room. Dr. Oliver sighed and took a seat at Justin's bedside to relax and give his leg, which was now in a walking cast, a rest.

* * *

_**Please Read and Review! I miss and need reviews!**_


	45. Difficult Roads To Travel

Jason, Tommy, Adam, Katherine, Tanya, Malcolm, and Laura touched down in a large room that resembled an airport hangar. Seven Zords, all of which resembled very high-tech vehicles, were lined up in a row against the far wall. Almost immediately, Alpha materialized in front of them.

"Rangers, these are your Turbo Zords," Alpha explained. "They are automatically programmed to deliver you safely to the harbor where the Ghost Galleon is and Zordon recommends you rest during the journey so that you'll be at full strength to use the ship to get to the island of Muranthias."

Jason gazed at Malcolm worriedly, but Malcolm silently nodded, "Jason, here is a pack of medical and food supplies to divide among the seven of you as it is needed," Alpha said as a large backpack suddenly appeared in his hands and he handed it to Jason. "Tommy, Malcolm, are you sure you're both well enough to do this?"

"I'm fine," Tommy replied calmly. "My Uncle Frank helped me while I was recovering at his cabin."

Malcolm was silent for a moment and then sighed, "I'm well enough to get through this mission, Alpha," he replied in a shaky, yet very determined tone. "You said my Zord will pilot itself to the ship, right?"

"Yes, but you need to be in the driver's seat," Alpha replied. "It activates itself by motion sensors."

Nodding, Malcolm silently walked over to his Zord without looking at the others, "I don't want to end up killing anyone on this mission, yet I feel we may have to," he said in a hollow voice. "I think we just need to get to the Ghost Galleon as quickly as possible; it'll be a long and dangerous journey, but we can…"

"What's wrong?" Laura asked, suddenly feeling that Malcolm was hiding something important.

Letting out a sigh, Malcolm shook his head, "I'm just tired and overwhelmed by what happened to Rocky," he lied, knowing that their mission could be in jeopardy if he revealed the complete truth.

Before Jason could open his mouth, Malcolm silently opened the Zord door, got behind the wheel, and quickly closed the door so that he wouldn't have to talk to anyone, "Maybe we'd better keep an eye on Malcolm and make sure he gets rest and food once we're on the ship," Katherine suggested in a concerned voice as she looked at Jason worriedly. "I'm not sure he's entirely okay with doing this."

"Rangers, you all must hurry," Alpha cut in anxiously. "If Maligore is unleashed, he will conquer Earth."

As Jason, Laura, Tommy, Adam, Tanya, and Katherine all went to their Zords, Alpha stepped into the shadows and pressed a few buttons on his chest. In the Glacier Snow Hummer, Malcolm was responding to Alpha's communications and was also relaying some of the information to an outside source.

The hangar door suddenly opened and all seven Turbo Zords took off outside and into the unknown.

"Good luck, Rangers," Alpha said quietly as the hangar door closed. "I hope Billy's plan succeeds."

* * *

_Okay, so the Turbo Rangers are on their way. _Billy heard a gentle voice suddenly speak in his mind. _Hang in there._

Letting out a sigh, Billy gazed around the cargo hold and was relieved to see that Bulk and Skull were still very much asleep in their corner.

Skull had been very tired and weak during the journey and had only woken to eat what little they were given and Bulk was just plain scared. Kimberly was also still a prisoner, but she was allowed out of the cell every now and then for 'walks' with her soon to be husband at Zedd and Rita's insistence. Divatox and her goons couldn't care less about any of them…

_Billy, what's going on? _Laura's voice suddenly echoed in his mind. _I was thinking about you and…_

Billy's eyes widened; Laura obviously had received some special abilities as a result of all her exposure to magic and her time as a Ranger. _Laura, don't keep in touch with me. They'll use it against you._

_Billy, something's not right. _Laura's voice replied softly. _Malcolm's acting strange; he knows something._

The cargo hold doors suddenly opened and a nervous looking Kimberly came into the room with Zedison holding to her arm for support as he moved forward, "I found our walk pleasurable, Kimberly," he said in a tired voice as he released her and touched the wall for support. "I must go back to my mother now."

"Zedison, why are you so intent on being evil?" Kimberly asked in a distressed voice. "Billy's exhausted from this, Skull's sick, and Bulk is frightened out of his wits. I'll stay here and you can let them all go."

Zedison frowned, "I was not aware that Skull was sick," he replied in an almost remorseful voice.

"H-He's recovering from cancer," Billy spoke up nervously as he looked up at Zedison. "This is…"

There was a brief silence, "Attention all passengers and prisoners, we are now approaching the passageway that will take us to the island of Muranthias," a gruff voice spoke. "Prepare for…"

Zedison scoffed as he waved his hand and a small metal box appeared on the floor, "There are things in there that will help you all survive the journey," he hissed as he reached out to Kimberly. "My dear…"

Realizing that Zedison was going to most likely present her to Rita for preparation, Kimberly silently took Zedison's hand and guided him from the murky chamber. As the doors closed, Billy scrambled over to the metal box and opened it; several small water bottles, packets of food, basic first aid supplies, several small grenade-like detonators, and a small device that looked like a mirror, but came with a small stick.

_Zedison knows. He knows that something drastic will happen. _Billy thought anxiously as he pocketed the detonators and the device, "Bulk, see if you can get Skull to wake up," Billy said as he grabbed some of the food and water and turned to Bulk. "I guess they don't want us dying before we get there."

* * *

"Zedison, why are we in here?" Kimberly asked as she and Zedison entered a room and she saw a tired looking Lerigot huddled in the corner and concealed by shadows. "Who's that furry little guy?"

For a moment, Zedison's face was blank as if he were confused by what Kimberly was saying, "I don't know who you are or where we are, but where's Kat?" he asked in a quiet voice. "She's my sister…"

"Kat's your sister?" Kimberly asked in a concerned voice. "Are…are you Mark Hillard by chance?"

Zedison nodded and then suddenly, he blinked, "My parents have asked you to come here to try and convince Lerigot to use his powers so we can cross through the barrier safely," he spoke in the dark, toneless voice that Zedison used. "You have a noble heart and you may be able to convince…"

The doors suddenly slid open and Rita came into the room, "Ah, Zedison, you have brought Kimberly to try and convince the furry little wizard to use his powers," she said in a pleased voice. "Excellent."

"Yes Mother," Zedison replied tonelessly as he turned towards Rita's voice. "I shall convince her."

Letting out an amused cackle, Rita left the room, "Stay here and talk to Lerigot," Zedison stated in a firm, yet unusually soft voice. "I have to speak to Billy about this; I need his help. Do you understand?"

"You're struggling, aren't you?" Kimberly asked softly. "You're struggling to survive just as we are."

Zedison said nothing, however; he merely let out a very distressed sigh and felt his way out of the room.

* * *

The door creaked open and Billy was surprised to see Zedison enter, feeling his way along the wall, "Billy, we must speak," he said, flinching at the whimpers he heard from Bulk. "Are Bulk and Skull doing all right?"

"I got Skull to eat a little bit, Mister Zedison, sir," Bulk spoke up nervously. "He fell asleep again…"

Zedison was silent and Billy edged closer to him, "Billy, we must speak," he replied softly. "Listen…"

* * *

Thunder rumbled and hard rain fell outside while Dr. Oliver eased himself into the living room recliner and immediately propped his leg up. Justin was lying on the couch with a pillow under his head and a blanket covering an old pair of oversized pajamas that used to belong to Tommy.

The TV, which was rarely used except to watch family movies, news, and cartoons, was broadcasting a news program, but Justin was ignoring it and the glass of orange juice that was on the table in front of him that Dr. Oliver had gotten for him.

There was a knock at the door and Dr. Oliver suddenly heard footsteps, "Ashley, if it's any reporters wanting information about what happened, don't open the door," he said in a very tired voice.

"It's some lady with brown hair and a huge smile," Ashley said in an anxious voice. "Should I…?"

Dr. Oliver smiled, "That would be Ms. Appleby," he replied in a pleasanter voice. "You can let her in."

The door opened quite quickly, "Hi Ashley," Ms. Appleby's voice filled the house. "Is Doctor Oliver in?"

"I'm in here," Dr. Oliver replied as he looked at Justin. "Justin, will you please drink some juice?"

Justin sighed and continued to ignore the juice just as Ms. Appleby came into the living room carrying a large grocery bag, "I went by the hospital, but Detective Stone said that you and Justin had left and that you'd both come back to visit Rocky when Justin was feeling better. Is it true that you…?"

"Took on guardianship of Justin?" Dr. Oliver finished, smiling at her. "Yes, I am his legal guardian now."

Ms. Appleby smiled at Justin just as he looked at Dr. Oliver, "Doctor Oliver, I'm tired," he replied in a sleepy voice as he looked at Dr. Oliver. "Can I just nap here for a while or do I have to go to my room?"

"No, you can sleep on the couch if you want to," Dr. Oliver replied gently as he eased his leg off of the ottoman, gripped his crutches, and slowly stood up, "Would you like a cup of tea, Ms. Appleby?"

Ms. Appleby nodded, "Doctor Oliver, can I watch TV with Justin?" Ashley asked softly. "Please?"

"If your homework is done, then yes," Dr. Oliver replied calmly. "Nothing over a PG rating, please."

Ashley nodded and hurried over to the chair that Dr. Oliver had just been sitting in, "…We now give the City of Angel Grove an exclusive," a different voice suddenly said evilly. "We have a few of your citizens as our prisoners and the Power Rangers are currently in pursuit; would you like to meet the prisoners?"

Looking alarmed, Dr. Oliver hobbled back over to the TV just in time to see the cargo bay appear on the screen with Bulk, Skull, and Billy inside. The scene switched to another cargo bay where a shaking Kimberly was sitting on the floor in a poorly lit room next to a strangely dressed Mark Hillard.

"Oh my," Ms. Appleby said in a worried voice as she came up beside him. "Doctor Oliver, what…?"

Swallowing hard, Dr. Oliver silently collected himself, "Ms. Appleby, I have some things to do in my office for a few minutes," he said in a distressed voice. "Would you mind watching the kids?"

"Of course," Ms. Appleby replied, her eyes still glued to the TV as Rita appeared on the screen.

Dr. Oliver nodded, quickly hobbled out of the living room and didn't stop until he was inside his office with the door closed. He sat down behind his desk and quickly activated a small machine on his desk.

* * *

The Power Chamber was unusually quiet despite the fact that Alpha and David were working side by side at one of the consoles near the med-bed. Zack was still lying in the medical capsule and, although he hadn't woken, his lifesigns were steadily improving thanks to Zordon's small donations of energy.

"…The Turbo Zords are in pursuit, but once they go through the passage, we'll lose contact with them," Alpha explained as he worked on some controls. "What you heard me tell Malcolm is not to leave this room and it's Malcolm's choice alone if he chooses to tell the others of what he has learned…"

David nodded, but looked concerned, "Is there any way to avoid it?" he asked in a worried voice.

"No, I'm afraid there is not," Zordon spoke gravely as he suddenly appeared in his tube.

For a moment, David was silent and then sighed, "…Power Chamber, this is Doctor Oliver, do you copy?" a distress-filled voice suddenly echoed throughout the Chamber. "Somehow, Rita hacked the news stations and alerted Angel Grove to the current crisis; tell the Rangers that they're being watched…"

"Alpha, contact the Rangers," Zordon quickly replied. "They should be at the dock by now."

Alpha nodded, "Ai-yi-yi," he stated anxiously as he worked the controls. "Rangers, come in…"

* * *

"…Rangers, come in," Alpha's voice filtered through Jason's Turbo Zord communicator. "Rangers…"

As Jason's Turbo Zord slowed down to shift on to the road that would take him and the other Rangers to the harbor and the Ghost Galleon, he tapped the communicator console, "Jason here, Alpha," he replied in a determined voice. "We're approaching the road that will lead us to the harbor. Rangers, check in."

"Red Turbo Ranger checking in," Tommy's voice replied. "This trip's been smooth sailing so far."

"Green Turbo Ranger checking in," Adam's voice replied. "I'm getting sick of this desert view."

"Pink Turbo Ranger checking in," Katherine's voice replied. "I'm ready to rescue the innocent."

"Yellow Turbo Ranger checking in," Tanya's voice replied. "Let's get there and get this done."

"White Turbo Ranger checking in," Malcolm's voice replied. "Is anyone else's Zord acting funny?"

"Blue Turbo Ranger checking in," Laura's voice replied. "Mine says it's preparing to store up…"

Suddenly, all seven Turbo Zords came to a stop and promptly ejected all of the Rangers from the driver's seats into a standing position on a blacktop road, "Storage sequence initiated," a robotic voice said.

"Alpha, we just got ejected from our Zords!" Adam cried into his communicator. "What do we do now?"

There was a momentary pause, "Adam, the Zords will store themselves on the ship and help you and your fellow Rangers avoid detection by Divatox's submarine," Zordon's voice replied. "Take a few moments and then, when you are ready, proceed on foot to the docks; they are only a short distance…"

"Take a few minutes for what?" Tanya asked, eager to get on the ship and stop Divatox's evil plan.

A horrible retching sound quickly answered Tanya's question and she turned just in time to see Malcolm kneeling in the sand with a hand on his forehead, "It's so warm out here," Malcolm whispered.

Frowning, Jason and Tommy quickly walked over to where Malcolm was kneeling in the sand. Jason quickly dug through the emergency pack, took out a large water bottle, and quickly opened it.

"Drink some of this," Jason said in a gentle voice as he knelt next to Malcolm. "It'll help."

Malcolm shook his head, "I'll drop that, my hands are shaking so bad," he replied anxiously.

"Jason, Tommy, help Malcolm drink the water and get him to the ship," Zordon's voice replied.

Jason nodded and put the water bottle to Malcolm's lips, "Open your mouth and tilt your head back just a little bit," he replied calmly, wincing as Malcolm struggled to drink and swallow any of the water.

As Jason put the water away, a wave of cold air suddenly washed over the Rangers and fog quickly enveloped them and also covered the desert that they had just travelled across. Only a very narrow, blacktop road ahead of them was visible. Laura winced and suddenly doubled over in obvious pain.

"Laura, what's wrong?" Katherine asked in an alarmed voice. "Zordon, something's wrong with…"

There was a loud hissing noise and then silence, "We lost contact," Tommy cut in worriedly.

"Rocky's not doing so well," Laura replied softly as she slowly straightened up with a hand on her forehead. "I don't know how, but I'm seeing his hospital room in my mind and he's doing bad."

Adam frowned, "We never visited him before we left," he replied in a somber voice. "What if he…?"

"Adam, I know how we can help Rocky even from here," Malcolm suddenly spoke in a more steady voice than he had used just a few minutes before as he slowly got to his feet. "I'll give him some power."

Katherine looked alarmed at Malcolm's suggestion, "You're not strong enough to do that," she replied in a worried voice as she walked over to her boyfriend and placed a hand on his arm. "It could kill you."

"Before he graduated, Billy taught me how to use technology to create a holographic image of myself and transfer power to another if it was ever needed," Malcolm replied as he grabbed the pack out of Jason's hands and rifled through it. "Laura, did Billy give you any details about the Turbo technology?"

Suddenly looking frightened, Laura shook her head, "Zordon said the powers were a great treasure," she replied anxiously, not wanting the others to know about her sudden telepathic abilities. "I don't…"

"Malcolm, this could kill you," Tanya replied in a worried voice. "How can you contact Rocky alone?"

Swallowing hard, Laura immediately looked at Malcolm, "Because he won't be alone, he'll be able to," she replied in a calmer voice. "I have telepathic abilities and we can get into Rocky's mind that way."

"How do you have telepathic abilities?" Tommy asked in a confused voice. "From the seizure?"

Laura shrugged, "Or maybe it was from the cave-in at the Power Chamber," she replied softly.

"All right, we'll try it once," Jason spoke up in a determined voice. "Then we have to get going."

* * *

"_Rocky?"_

Rocky suddenly felt afraid; he knew that he had been badly hurt by the attack at the shelter and that he was now either in a coma or dead. His eyes refused to open and his body was in a state of numbness.

"_Rocky, relax," _a gentle voice suddenly echoed into his mind. "_Just relax so we can help you."_

There was silence and then Rocky suddenly found himself standing in front of a hospital bed where he was lying unconscious, hooked to several machines, and secured in a neck collar. He was surprised to see ghost-like versions of Malcolm and Laura standing in front of him looking tired but determined.

"_Rocky, you're not dead," Malcolm spoke calmly. "You're in bad shape, though, and you need power."_

Rocky nodded and swallowed hard, "I'm not a Ranger anymore, though," he replied. "How can I…?"

The ghost-like Laura smiled and took Rocky's hands in her own, "_By my power, you will live and be able to resume life," _she replied in a tired voice as Rocky suddenly felt power surge through his tired body.

"Am I paralyzed?" Rocky asked, taking notice of the neck collar. "How can I live a life paralyzed?"

Malcolm smiled, "_My mother was blind and she lived well," _he replied softly. _"So can you, if you wish to."_

Suddenly, the two ghost-like figures faded and Rocky found himself alone once more and staring at the helpless figure in the hospital bed; could he really do something productive in life being paralyzed?

For a moment, Rocky was silent and then it hit him; just because he wasn't a Ranger anymore didn't mean that he didn't still have power. He could make a difference even if it was from a wheelchair.

Letting out a sigh, Rocky held out his hands and smiled as he felt energy surge into his weakened body.

The room was silent for a several minutes and then Rocky slowly opened his eyes. He gazed around the hospital room for several minutes before a nurse came into the room and gasped at seeing him awake.

* * *

Loud ringing filled Justin's ears, but he ignored it and stayed asleep; he had stayed awake for a few moments before asking Ashley to turn down the TV so he could sleep. Ashley had told him to rest and had turned the TV off, choosing to go to her room and read so that he could rest in total quiet.

The ringing suddenly stopped, "Hello, Oliver residence," Justin suddenly heard Dr. Oliver say in a concerned voice. "Yes, this is Doctor Oliver; if you're a reporter, please don't call here again…"

There was silence for several minutes, "…Really?" Dr. Oliver's voice replied in a surprised voice. "That's wonderful news, Mrs. DeSantos, but I'm afraid that Justin's not coming until he's over his cold…"

"Rocky?" Justin asked in a groggy voice as he opened his eyes and looked up at Dr. Oliver tiredly.

Dr. Oliver placed a finger to his lips, "…Yes, Mrs. DeSantos, I promise that when Justin's better, I'll bring him by the hospital for a long visit with Rocky," he said in a gentle voice. "…All right, then; good bye."

"Is Rocky awake?" Justin asked anxiously, wincing as he suddenly broke into a coughing fit. "Ow…"

Dr. Oliver nodded, "That was Mrs. DeSantos on the phone and Rocky woke up just fifteen minutes ago," he replied in a gentle voice. "Rocky asked about you, apparently, but you're still sick and I'm not about to let you go running around Angel Grove even if it is to visit a friend. Is your throat still bothering you?"

"Yeah, a little," Justin replied in a distressed voice. "I've had sore throats before, but they went away."

Dr. Oliver sighed, "I'll make you some lemon tea," he replied gently. "If your throat's not better by tomorrow, Justin, I'm taking you to the doctor while Ashley's at school. Your health's important."

"What about your work?" Justin asked, wincing at his sore throat. "Won't you get in trouble for skipping school?"

Dr. Oliver chuckled, "No," he replied in an amused voice. "Just rest your throat for now, all right?"

Justin nodded and sighed as Dr. Oliver hobbled into the kitchen, "After you have some tea, it might be a good idea for you to have a little soup and then go to bed," he heard Dr. Oliver say in a concerned voice.

"Do I have to eat?" Justin asked, wincing as he struggled to talk. "I could barely drink that juice."

There was silence and then Dr. Oliver hobbled back into the living room holding a flashlight and an ear thermometer along with his crutches, "Why didn't you mention how bad your throat was at the hospital?" he asked in a worried voice as he sat on a stool in front of the couch and set his crutches against the end table. "The hospital wouldn't have sent you home if you had more than a cold."

"I didn't want to be any more trouble," Justin replied softly. "I already feel so bad about what happened to Malcolm and Rocky. Now, Malcolm's off on a scary mission and Rocky's hurt and in the hospital."

Dr. Oliver looked concerned, "What happened to Malcolm and Rocky isn't your fault, Justin," he replied softly, suddenly realizing that Justin was blaming himself for Rocky being in the hospital. "Now, if your throat's really bothering you, I should take you to the hospital tonight instead of waiting. They'll probably want to run some more tests."

"What if they make me stay?" Justin asked, wincing as he talked. "I don't wanna be there alone."

Letting out a sigh, Dr. Oliver set the flashlight and thermometer on the end table and grabbed his crutches, "Who said you would be alone?" he asked gently as he stood up. "Ashley, come into the living please."

"Yes sir?" Ashley replied, quickly hurrying into the living room. "I was just about to get some dinner."

Dr. Oliver sighed, "I have to take Justin back to the hospital so he can have his throat looked at," he replied in a distressed voice. "Do you mind coming with us and hanging out til we know what's happening? I'm sorry that dinner will have to wait, but Justin's throat can't wait until morning."

"No, I don't mind," Ashley replied, gazing worriedly at Justin. "Are you going to be okay, Justin?"

Justin shrugged, "David left his truck and keys here, so I'll drive," Dr. Oliver said in a concerned voice. "Justin, rest your voice."

Nodding, Justin slowly got off the couch, "Should I get some outside clothes on?" he asked groggily. "I don't know if I can."

"Just put a jacket on over those pajamas." Dr. Oliver replied gently as he hobbled to the kitchen to get David's keys.

Justin sighed, grabbed the blanket from the couch, and wrapped himself up in it, "That works too," Dr. Oliver replied as he hobbled back into the room with David's keys and his wallet in hand and saw Justin huddled in his blanket. "Let's go."

Fighting the urge to cough, Justin followed Dr. Oliver out of the house and over to David's truck that was parked in the driveway. As Justin and Dr. Oliver got into the truck, Ashley locked the house and hurried to join them.

A moment later, after everyone was in the truck and buckled in, Dr. Oliver pulled the truck out of the driveway and drove towards the hospital.


	46. Drawing Nearer to Doom

The fog was the first thing Malcolm and Laura saw as they opened their eyes and released each other's hands, "Did you talk to him?" Adam asked as he walked over to them. "How did you two help him?"

"I'm not sure, but Rocky will be all right," Malcolm replied in a confident voice. "I know that for certain."

Tanya sighed, "We should probably get to the ship," she said anxiously. "We've got a job to do."

"Malcolm, Laura, are you all right to continue?" Tommy asked worriedly. "You used up a lot of power."

Malcolm nodded, "Actually, I feel fine," he replied in an awed voice. "Laura, did you also heal me?"

"There wasn't any other choice," Laura replied softly. "You're my friend just like Rocky is."

Jason smiled, "Let's get to the ship," he replied commandingly. "The Zords are probably there already."

"What about our communicators?" Katherine asked worriedly. "They still don't seem to be working."

Jason sighed, "We'll just have to rely on each other and team work now," he replied. "Come on."

Katherine immediately hugged Malcolm, who put a protective arm around her as they followed Jason down the path towards the docks. Adam and Tanya quickly followed after them, but Laura remained behind for several minutes with a disturbed expression on her face and only Tommy noticed this.

"Are you okay?" Tommy asked in a worried voice. "Was healing Rocky and Malcolm too much for you?"

Laura sighed, "No, I'm fine," she replied softly as she hugged herself. "I just have things on my mind."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Tommy asked as he and Laura jogged to catch up with the others.

As Tanya, who was anxious to get to Muranthias and rescue Billy, turned around to see what was keeping Laura and Tommy, Laura shook her head, "No," she replied softly. "Thanks though."

"Guys, we found the dock!" Jason called out from over a hill that was just up ahead. "Come on!"

Excited that they were one step closer to helping Billy, Kimberly, Mark, Bulk, and Skull, Laura ran ahead of Tanya, Tommy, and Adam. It didn't take her long to get over the hill and she immediately found Jason, Malcolm, and Katherine standing on a rickety wooden dock in front of a large wooden ship.

"That's the Ghost Galleon?" Tanya asked as she, Adam, and Tommy came up behind Laura.

Jason nodded and walked over to the gangplank, "The Zords must be stored below," he replied in a voice that he hoped hid his uncertainty about the journey ahead. "There's no wheel, though…"

"Jason, I think we use our Turbo Morphers to power the ship," Adam spoke up as he walked up the gangplank and looked around the top deck of the ship. "There's a small set of stairs that goes down…"

Adam's voice became muffled as he disappeared below deck, "I guess we should all get on board and prepare to leave," Tommy said in an enthusiastic voice as he stepped forward. "I don't know how far away Muranthias is, but Zordon and Alpha gave us a job to do and people to rescue from danger."

Jason, Katherine, Tanya, and Malcolm quickly walked up the gangplank, but Tommy didn't move from the dock, "Tommy, what's on your mind?" Laura asked softly. "I feel that something's bothering you."

"Oh, it's nothing," Tommy lied, temporarily forgetting that Laura had special mental abilities

Laura sighed, "You're thinking about Kimberly, aren't you?" she asked softly, gazing up at him.

Tommy was silent for several minutes and then sighed, "She'll never know or understand how much she hurt me by deciding to throw everything she and I have been through out the window," he replied in a troubled voice. "I cared for her so much and it obviously meant nothing to her, as she sided with Rita."

"Tommy, I have to tell you something," Laura said softly. "It's about a vision quest I went on with David."

Suddenly, Jason came halfway down the gangplank, "Everything's ready, you guys," he said, wondering what Tommy and Laura had been talking about. "As soon as we're all on board, the ship will set sail."

"Let's get going, then," Laura replied as she moved up the gangplank. "We've got a job to do."

Nodding, Tommy followed Laura up the gangplank and pulled it up after him. Almost immediately, the anchor lifted itself out of the water and the ship lurched away from the rickety dock. Adam came up from below and gaped at the murky water for only a moment before gazing at Tanya and Katherine.

"It seems like there's some sort of navigational system below," Adam spoke nervously. "I saw it when I was exploring below deck, but I think it operates itself; maybe we should go below deck for a while."

Jason nodded, "We can divide up the rations Alpha sent with us and come up with a strategy of what to do once we get to Muranthias," he replied. "It's too dangerous to just rush in there without a plan."

Murmurs of agreement filled the deck and one by one, Katherine, Malcolm, Tanya, Adam, and Tommy all went below deck, "Laura, come on," Jason said in a gentle voice, noticing that Laura hadn't moved from the starboard side since the ship started moving. "You've had a hard day and need some food."

"I'll be down in a minute, Jason," Laura replied gently. "You go on without me; I'll be all right, really."

Jason frowned and came closer to her, "Are you sure?" he asked in a concerned voice as he opened his arms so that she could hug him if she wanted to. "You look tired from healing Rocky and Malcolm."

"Jason, I'm all right," Laura replied, giving Jason a reassuring hug. "I just need a moment by myself."

Jason nodded and, not wanting to get Laura mad at him for being overprotective, he silently released her and went below deck with the others. Laura sighed and turned to look at the water and sunset.

The whole encounter with Kimberly through the vision quest was still fresh in Laura's mind and she knew that she needed to tell Tommy; he needed to know that Kimberly still cared for him.

Of course, Laura knew that Tommy would be furious that she had interacted with Kimberly, as would the rest of the Rangers; she would be branded a traitor when she told them, but she knew that it had to be done.

"Zordon, give me courage," Laura whispered softly. "Give me courage to say what needs to be said."

* * *

Exhausted from his long day at work, Thomas Lee Scott came out of the staff lounge where he had gotten a cup of juice to perk him up for the drive home. He and Jarrod had brought a patient in just before the end of shift and after the patient had been turned over to the staff, Jarrod had left.

"…Okay, Justin, just stick out your tongue a little further," Thomas suddenly heard a woman say in a gentle voice as he passed by an open exam room. "I know you're tired, but you're being so brave…"

Frowning, Thomas moved into the exam room doorway and was surprised to see Dr. Oliver and Ashley sitting in chairs by the door, both of them silently watching as a woman in pink scrubs stood at the bedside of a young boy who was lying on the bed wearing a set of dark green flannel pajamas.

The boy's left sleeve was rolled up and there was an IV line in it and a blanket was covering the boy's legs and feet.

"Hi there, Mister Lee Scott!" Ashley said, smiling at Thomas. "How come you're at the hospital?"

Thomas smiled, "I just got done working for the day," he replied pleasantly. "Who's this young man?"

"I'm Justin, sir," Justin replied softly, slightly intimidated by Thomas's size and pleasant demeanor.

Immediately catching on that Justin had some social issues that possibly stemmed from a hard home life, Thomas was silent for a moment and nodded, "Nice to meet you, Justin," he replied pleasantly.

Justin nodded, but said nothing more, "All right, I have what I need," the nurse said in a gentle voice as she took the swab from Justin's throat and put it into a plastic tube. "Why don't you rest now, Justin?"

There was an awkward silence as Justin nodded, but remained awake as the nurse left the room, "Why don't you just try and sleep a little bit, Justin?" Dr. Oliver gently suggested. "I'll walk Mister Lee Scott out and Ashley can keep you company for the few minutes that I'm gone. You're safe here; I promise you."

Dr. Oliver smiled and quickly ushered Thomas from the room, "Don't take it personally, Thomas," he replied, smiling as he looked through the tiny window and saw that Justin had fallen asleep. "Justin gets a little intimidated around adults he doesn't know and I'm not even sure if he fully trusts me yet."

Thomas nodded and sighed, "Frank, I actually wanted to ask you about something important," he replied in a very reluctant voice. "I've got this strange feeling that Jason and Malcolm are up to something that is far more important than a school project. When Malcolm and Rocky were attacked at the shelter, I thought it was just some punks, but when I responded, I discovered that Rocky's injuries were rather unusual, as was the damage done to the shelter; it made me think about Rita Repulsa…"

Dr. Oliver swallowed hard, but remained quiet, "Now, don't mention this to my wife or she'll think I'm crazy, but I have to ask," Thomas continued nervously. "Are Jason and Malcolm Power Rangers?"

"What makes you think that?" Dr. Oliver asked softly, hoping that Zordon and Alpha would help him.

Thomas sighed, "It's just that I never know where Jason and Malcolm are whenever the Power Rangers are fighting bad guys and then when the Power Rangers disappear, Jason and Malcolm appear," he replied in a distressed voice. "I really don't think that they are, but I was just curious to see if you knew."

Before Dr. Oliver could think up some sort of plausible explanation, Thomas was suddenly teleported out of the hospital hallway, "Oh, man," Dr. Oliver said in a distressed voice, realizing that Zordon and Alpha had most likely teleported Thomas to the Power Chamber. "Zordon, I trust what you're doing."

* * *

"Thomas?"

Thomas looked around the strange room and was shocked to see Helen standing near a metal door at the back of the very large room, "Thomas, I was home doing dishes and I was suddenly here," Helen said in a worried voice as she moved over him. "Where are we? Is this about Jason and Malcolm?"

"You need not be afraid, Mister and Mrs. Lee Scott," a deep voice said. "You are both safe here."

Frowning, Thomas and Helen looked around the room for several minutes until their eyes finally rested on the small tube where Zordon lingered, "Who are you?" Helen asked in a nervous voice.

"My name is Zordon, Mrs. Lee Scott," Zordon replied calmly. "I brought you and your husband here because your husband asked Doctor Oliver about the Power Rangers. Due to current circumstances, I have decided it appropriate for you both to know the identities of the current Power Rangers."

There was a long silence, "Ai-yi-yi," Alpha said as he suddenly came out of a back room with David and saw that Thomas and Helen were standing there looking rather shellshocked. "Nice to meet you two."

"Oh my," Helen spoke, a realization suddenly coming to her mind. "Are Jason and Malcolm…?"

Zordon sighed, "Yes, Jason and Malcolm are Power Rangers," he replied. "They and their fellow Rangers have done a great service protecting Earth against the likes of Rita Repulsa, Zedd, and other evils."

"Is the Earth in trouble again, Zordon?" Helen asked worriedly. "Is that why Jason and Malcolm…?"

Alpha nodded and cleared his throat, "A space pirate named Divatox has come to Earth and teamed up with Rita and Zedd to unleash a terrible monster on the island of Muranthias," he explained in a somber voice. "In order to be able to release this monster, pure and noble hearts were needed and so Rita, Zedd, and a space pirate named Divatox kidnapped some residents of Angel Grove…"

"In short, Mister and Mrs. Lee Scott, you are now going to have to take an oath never to reveal your knowledge of the Power Rangers' identities to anyone," Zordon spoke, cutting Alpha's chatter off.

Both Thomas and Helen nodded, "We're not going to tell anyone about this ever," they said in unison, both of them shocked and proud of Jason and Malcolm taking such a stand to protect the Earth.

"If you think very hard about it, you will be able to determine the identities of the other Rangers on your own," Zordon replied. "You both, along with a few others, have been entrusted with a powerful secret of their identities; the Rangers are Jason, Malcolm, Katherine Hillard, Adam Park, Laura Hammond, Tommy Oliver, and Tanya Sloan; this mission is the biggest challenge they have ever had to face…"

Thomas nodded, "Is there anything we can do to help them?" he asked worriedly. "I'm scared for them."

"I'm afraid not," Zordon replied somberly. "All you can do is hope for their safety and success in this."

Helen nodded and embraced her husband, "We'll pray very hard for them," she said in a worried voice.

* * *

To Laura, the sunset was something worth watching even though she was beginning to feel very tired, hungry, and cold from the journey. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there, but once in a while, she heard bits and pieces of chatter from below deck; it was nice, though, to have some privacy.

Footsteps suddenly came up behind her and Laura turned just in time to see Katherine approaching her with a small food ration pack in one hand and a bottle of water in the other, "You've been up here for a while," Katherine commented in a concerned voice. "I figured you could use a little something to eat."

"Katherine, I'm scared to death to be down there with the rest of them right now," Laura replied in a nervous voice as she hugged herself to keep warm. "I have to tell Tommy something important and when he finds out, he and the others will want nothing to do with me; it's about Kimberly…"

Katherine nodded and silently held out the food, "Back when Tommy was missing, I went on a little vision quest with David and I ended up asking Kimberly for help," Laura explained in an anxious voice as she struggled to keep warm. "I used the last of my Ninjetti power to break Rita's spell, but she went back to Rita in order to rescue Tommy; Kimberly agreed to marry Zedison if Rita helped find Tommy."

There was silence and then, to Laura's horror, Jason came up from below deck holding a folded blanket under his arm, "Jason," Laura said in an anxious voice, quickly stepping back. "How much did you hear?"

"I already know about the deal Kimberly made with Rita, remember?" Jason replied softly. "I was there."

Laura nodded and sighed, "I'm just not sure how to tell Tommy," she said in a nervous voice. "He would see it as unforgiveable to know that I went to Kimberly for help in rescuing him from Prince Gasket."

Jason and Katherine exchanged a concerned look, but said nothing, "Katherine, Jason, thanks for bringing me dinner and a blanket, but could I just have some time alone?" Laura asked softly.

"Sure," Katherine replied softly, handing Laura the food. "If you want to talk, we'll be below deck."

Jason smiled and handed Laura the blanket, "Don't stay up here too long," he said in a gentle voice.

"I'll be all right," Laura replied softly as she held the food and blanket close. "The air's really warm."

Even though Jason wasn't fully convinced that Laura would be all right by herself, he nodded and went back below deck with Katherine. Laura sighed, quickly made herself a little bed near the mast, and sat down to enjoy the first food she had had in several hours; it might end up being her last meal.

* * *

Unknown to anyone, Tommy had been resting on the steps so that Malcolm could rest on the sole cot that was in the corner of the cabin. He had unwittingly overheard Laura talking with Jason and Kat about Kimberly and the fact that Laura had reached out to Kimberly for help had left Tommy stunned.

Tommy was so lost in reflecting on what he had overheard that he didn't hear Jason and Kat come down the stairs, "Hey Tommy, how are you doing?" Jason asked in a gentle voice. "Did you eat enough?"

"I'm fine," Tommy replied, gazing up at Jason and Kat. "Tanya and Adam are keeping an eye on Malcolm and they made him rest on the cot for a little while; he didn't want to, but they just told him to relax."

Jason nodded and gazed over to the cot where Malcolm was sleeping while Tanya and Adam were sitting on the floor beside the cot talking quietly to each other, "I overheard you and Kat talking with Laura," Tommy said in a quiet voice. "How did she even get in contact with Kimberly?"

"Laura went on a vision quest with David while you were missing," Katherine replied softly.

Tommy sighed, "I thought something was different with her," he replied softly. "Did she have a seizure at any point during or after the vision quest that any of you saw? It might explain some things…"

"Yes, she did," Katherine stated somberly. "Jason and I helped her through it, though…"

For a moment, Tommy was quiet, "That's probably why she had the premonition about the Zeo Star," Jason spoke in a tired voice as he moved down the stairs and touched the Praying Mantis necklace that was around his neck. "Adam, what do the navigational sensors say about our current location?"

Adam whispered to Tanya, quickly got up, and went over to the console. Tanya sighed and stood up.

"I'll go check the rest of the ship so that you, Jason, and Kat can get some rest, Tommy," Tanya offered, fully intending to talk to Laura about where her mind was at. "You guys deserve a little rest too."

Tommy nodded and smiled as Tanya went up top; everything seemed to be running smoothly so far. That would end when they reached Muranthias.

* * *

The cargo hold was quiet and for the first time since this horrific adventure had begun, Bulk had settled down for a much needed sleep. Skull was sleeping next to him and hadn't had the strength to wake up.

Since Rita and Zedd had taken Zedison off to a private chamber where he could rest, Kimberly had been returned to the group cell and was now sitting with Billy, eating some of the few rations they had.

Kimberly didn't have the energy or desire to talk, as she was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted from her encounters with Rita. Billy, on the other hand, was full of energy and had assumed the role of leader for the little group of prisoners; he was trying to make something of what they had.

"Do you think they'll come after us?" Kimberly finally asked in a tired voice. "The Rangers, I mean."

Billy was quiet for a long moment and then nodded, "Yes, I believe they will," he replied softly. "I think that, no matter what may have happened in the past, our friends aren't going to leave us here."

"I don't suppose Jason or Tommy will be very happy to see me," Kimberly commented. "I broke Tommy's heart more than once and I've also broken Jason's trust. Malcolm sticks pretty close to Jason and Adam, Tanya, and Katherine haven't been around long enough to understand much about me…"

Billy shrugged, but didn't say a word, "I don't know much about Laura, but I know she doesn't trust me even though she helped me break Rita's spell," Kimberly continued softly. "I'm very scared about…"

The door suddenly opened and an enraged looking Divatox came in with Goldar and Rito, "Why hasn't Lerigot opened the passageway yet?! Divatox screeched, waking Bulk up. "Where is Prince Zedison?!"

"Rita and Zedd made him rest," Kimberly replied as she got to her feet. "Could I help you with…?"

Divatox spat at Kimberly and strode into the cell over to where Bulk and Skull were sitting. Bulk was wide awake and terrified, but Skull was barely awake and not feeling well enough for conversation.

"Take this skinny, sleepy thing to the torture room and make Lerigot watch," Divatox snapped.

As Rito and Goldar advanced on Skull, Bulk got up and pushed them back, "My best buddy's sick and you two idiots aren't gonna make him worse!" he snapped, not caring that Rito and Goldar looked angry.

Rito smirked and pushed Bulk into the wall while Goldar picked up Skull by the collar of his shirt, "Goldar, don't!" Kimberly cried anxiously as Goldar dragged Skull away. "Please, let Skull go…"

"Not on your life, Kimberly!" Goldar hissed as he left the room with Skull. "Rito, let's go!"

Rito cackled and hurried out of the room without so much as looking at Kimberly or Billy, "Bulk, are you all right?" Billy asked in a worried voice as he grabbed some water and stood up. "Want some water?"

Bulk nodded, but didn't say anything because his eyes were full of fear and tears, "Billy, I'm scared about what will happen to Skull," Kimberly replied softly, watching as Billy handed Bulk the water bottle.

Frowning, Billy walked back over to where Kimberly was sitting and sat down beside her. Kimberly sniffled, leaned against him, and sighed tiredly as Billy put a gentle, yet protective arm around her.

* * *

The hospital room door opened and Thomas walked in to see that Dr. Oliver was standing by the window on his crutches with a cell-phone to his ear while he was watching Ashley, who had gone to sleep on the other bed in the room, and the little dark-haired boy sleep in the other bed.

"…Thank you for doing this for me, David," Dr. Oliver said in a tired voice. "I feel much better knowing that my house won't be empty tonight…No, Justin's surgery is tomorrow and I'll be here tonight…"

Thomas frowned and his gaze travelled to the young boy in the bed; Malcolm had mentioned that he and Rocky DeSantos, who was now in another ward of the hospital and facing life in a wheelchair, were going to serve as big brothers to a homeless orphan named Justin Stewart and was excited about it.

Now, because of the evil freaks who had been attacking Angel Grove for years and had been repeatedly defeated by the Power Rangers, Malcolm was off with the Rangers again trying to defend the world.

A pained cough suddenly pulled Thomas out of his thoughts and he silently watched as Dr. Oliver hung up the phone and hobbled to Justin's bedside, "Easy there, kiddo," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as he picked up a small plastic glass of water filled with water. "It's not midnight yet, so you can have some…"

"It hurts to swallow," Justin whispered as he opened his eyes and looked at Dr. Oliver. "It really does."

Dr. Oliver nodded and quickly put a straw from the bedside table in the cup, "It'll hurt worse if your throat is dry, Justin," he explained gently as he offered the cup to Justin. "Just a few sips, okay?"

"Okay," Justin replied, taking the cup. "Hey, Doctor Oliver, why's the paramedic in my room?"

Thomas smiled, "Justin, I'm Thomas Lee Scott, Malcolm's uncle and legal guardian," he explained in a gentle voice. "I was just getting off duty to go home and I overheard you two talking. See, I'm a paramedic with the Angel Grove Fire and Rescue Department and I just work day shifts."

Justin nodded tiredly, "Cool," he whispered. "Doctor Oliver, it's late; you and Ashley should go…"

"What, and leave you here by yourself the night before you have surgery?" Dr. Oliver asked in a surprised voice. "I'm certainly not going anywhere, but I want Ashley to go to school tomorrow…"

Thomas suddenly sighed, "Frank, can we talk?" he asked softly. "It's about Malcolm and Jason…"

"I'm guessing Zordon told you and your wife about the identities of the Rangers?" Dr. Oliver asked.

Thomas nodded, "I'm assuming, since you also know, that Tommy is a Ranger too," he replied softly.

"I don't know much about what they're up to, if that's what you're wondering," Dr. Oliver commented in a tired voice. "I just know that what they're doing is very important to the safety of the world, okay?"

For a moment, Thomas was silent and then looked at Ashley, "You know that Helen and I will be happy to look after Ashley tonight and take her to school tomorrow, right?" he asked. "You look exhausted."

"I wanna stay here with Justin," Ashley spoke sleepily as she opened her eyes and sat up.

Dr. Oliver shook his head, "You need your rest for school tomorrow," he replied softly. "I want you to go to the Lee Scotts for tonight and they'll take you to school tomorrow. Education is important, Ashley…"

"Do you think Laura, Tommy, and Adam are okay?" Ashley asked softly as she got off the hospital bed.

Dr. Oliver shrugged, "I hope so," he replied softly. "Thomas, remember, this is very confidential."

"Of course," Thomas replied softly, smiling as Ashley got off the bed and hugged Dr. Oliver.

Ashley smiled as Dr. Oliver returned the hug, "Now, go on and behave yourself," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as Ashley moved to the door. "If you get your placement results, I want to know, okay?"

"Yeah, goodnight," Ashley replied softly as she left the hospital room with Thomas. "Get some rest."

Dr. Oliver sighed, hobbled over to the empty bed, and promptly pulled it closer to Justin's so he was within arm's reach, "Those beds are heavy, huh?" he said in a tired voice as he sat down. "So…"

"I'll go back to sleep if you will," Justin whispered, giving Dr. Oliver a look. "You look really tired."

Smiling, Dr. Oliver grabbed one of the pillows from his bed and put it at the foot of the bed, "Maybe during your surgery tomorrow, I'll visit Rocky," he said in a gentle voice as he laid back and rested his casted leg on top of the pillow. "Once you're feeling well enough, I'll take you to visit him…"

"Rocky's going to be okay," Justin whispered softly. "I don't know how I know; I can just feel it."

Dr. Oliver nodded and smiled as Justin closed his eyes, "I hope so," he whispered softly. "I really do."

* * *

A cool breeze had cropped up by the time Tanya had walked all over the ship to make sure that the Zords were safely stored and that every part of the ship was in working order. Her gaze immediately went to Laura, who had eaten and was now staring at the sea with the blanket around her shoulders.

"Tanya, what are you doing up here in the cold?" Laura asked softly, not turning around.

Tanya frowned and was about to ask how Laura knew that when Laura sighed, "I've got some mental powers as a result of my last seizure and the vision quest I went on with David, I think," she explained in a gentle voice as she turned to face Tanya. "I'm sure the powers are temporary, but until then…"

"Did Billy know he was going to be captured?" Tanya asked softly. "Is that why you had the powers?"

Suddenly realizing that Tanya was more worried about Billy than whether or not he was with them, Laura shrugged, "Billy gave me the box and told me about the passageway to Doctor Oliver's cabin just seconds before the Power Chamber was invaded," she explained. "Rocky was originally supposed to take on the Blue Turbo Powers, but everything changed when Zordon found out about the attack…"

"And you took them on even knowing the risks?" Tanya asked in a shocked voice. "Knowing you…?"

Laura nodded, "I knew that this mission would be dangerous, but I knew I was the only one who could take the powers on," she explained softly. "If Rocky is able and wants the Blue Turbo powers when we return from Muranthias, I'll give them over. However, they're mine for now and I'll take care of them."

"You're a really strong person, Laura," Tanya replied softly. "Not everyone could be as brave as you."

Laura smiled, "What about you, Tanya?" she asked. "This way of life must be very new to you."

"More than you know," Tanya replied gently. "I met Billy in Africa when he was looking for parts for the Zeo Star and I also met Aisha there too. Apparently, Aisha had been turned into a child by some terrible dark magic and was sent back to my village; she couldn't remember any of that, though, until she touched Billy's Ninjetti Coin. It was then that Aisha decided to stay in Africa and send me with Billy."

Her eyes wide, Laura nodded, "So you're really out of your element then," she replied in an awed voice.

"Yup," Tanya said in an amused voice, frowning as she suddenly saw Jason come above deck. "Jason?"

Jason quickly walked over to the two of them, "The navigation system is reporting that we're closing in on the passageway and that there's a vessel already at the entrance to it," he explained in a worried voice. "We need to get below deck and use our Morphers to protect us from the passageway…"

"Maybe we can stop them before they even get to Muranthias," Tanya spoke up. "That would be…"

Jason shook his head as Laura and Tanya followed him across the deck, "I don't think that will happen," he replied in a somber voice as they went below deck. "The battle is going to be on Muranthias."

* * *

A fresh howl of pain filled the small room where Lerigot was being held captive as Goldar delivered another thrash to Skull's body with a large steel spike. Skull was lying on the floor in a heap and shaking madly from being struck so many times. His eyes were unfocused and his breathing was very labored.

The door slid open and an infuriated looking Divatox strode into the room with Rito, who was dragging an anxious looking Bulk by the arm while Billy silently followed, "Prince Zedison woke up and insisted on having some private time with Kimberly, so we had to bring these two in here; Rita insisted upon it," Rito scoffed in a semi-irritated voice, unaware that Zedison was giving information to Kimberly about how to survive Muranthias. "Ed's guarding the door to make sure they don't escape."

"That stupid little wizard isn't doing anything!" Goldar roared. "I've almost broken this kid to nothing!"

Billy looked at Lerigot anxiously, "Please, can you help the ship go through the passageway safely?" he asked, not sure if the furry creature could understand English or would help them. "We need to…"

Suddenly, Lerigot grunted and held out his hand; a beam of light shot out of his furry hand and engulfed the entire room and the rest of the ship. A few moments later, the light faded and a rush of energy shot through the room with a loud BANG.

"Divatox, we made it through the passageway!" Elgar's voice boomed out over the intercom. "You gotta come see the storm!"

Divatox rolled her eyes, "Goldar, Rito, let's go," she snapped. "Leave these prisoners here to enjoy the rest of the journey."

Gloating, Goldar released Bulk and left the room with Rito and Divatox just as Skull passed out. Billy quickly hurried over to Skull, knelt down beside him, and took some water packets out of his pocket. Lerigot suddenly groaned and sat on the floor.

"Give some of these to the creature," Billy said as he tossed Bulk a couple of packets. "He probably needs some water."

Bulk nodded and, opening them he nervously offered the packets to Lerigot. Lerigot grunted, took the packets, and quietly began to suck on them. Skull groaned and struggled to stay awake even though he could barely breathe or speak.

Lerigot quickly finished the water and grunted softly at Skull, "I can't move, Billy," Skull whispered weakly as he forced his hand up from the floor and rested it on his abdomen. "That gold freak broke my leg and hit me really hard right here; oh, it hurts."

"You probably have internal injuries," Billy replied worriedly as he took off his jacket and covered Skull with it. "Relax."

Bulk frowned as Lerigot murmured something and raised his hand, "He's saying that he can't heal injuries caused by magic or it could kill you," Billy explained, suddenly able to understand what Lerigot was saying. "However, he can provide comfort…"

Before Bulk or Skull could reply, there was a rustic looking stretcher underneath Skull and his left leg was in a very secure looking splint, "I'm feeling very tired," Skull whispered. "I have to go to sleep right now. Sleep will help me feel better…"

As Skull closed his eyes, Bulk looked at Billy, "Did that little furry dude make Skull well?" he asked in a worried voice.

"No, but he did take Skull's mind off the pain for at least a little while," Billy replied worriedly. "Hopefully we'll get rescued from here soon."

* * *

_**Please read and review.**_


	47. The Weight of Sacrifice

The Ghost Galleon shuddered violently as thunder rumbled outside the ship; it was daytime, but the weather was anything but sunny and cheerful as the ship approached the passageway to Muranthias.

Jason, Katherine, Malcolm, Adam, Tanya, Tommy, and Laura stood in a circle in the middle of the deck with their Morphers in one hand and keys in the other. During the journey to the dock, they had all been sent instructions by Zordon about what to do once they reached the passageway to Muranthias.

"From here on in, we stay morphed," Tommy spoke in a serious voice. "Rangers, are you ready?"

There was a brief silence that was quickly broken by a loud booming sound, "Gold Turbo Power!" Jason shouted as he held his key out and jammed it into his Morpher, instantly becoming engulfed by light.

"Red Turbo Power!" Tommy shouted as he jammed his key into his Morpher and covered by red light.

Adam jammed his key into his Morpher, "Green Turbo Power!" he shouted, being engulfed by green.

"Pink Turbo Power!" Katherine shouted as she put her key into her morpher and was engulfed by pink.

Tanya put her key into her Morpher, "Yellow Turbo Power!" she shouted as she was engulfed by yellow.

"White Turbo Power!" Malcolm shouted as he put his key into his Morpher and was engulfed by white.

Laura put her key into her Morpher, "Blue Turbo Power!" she shouted as she was engulfed by blue.

As the seven Morphed Rangers joined hands, the ship shook and suddenly, a clear wave of energy filled with thunder and lightning passed through the ship and through each of them and then vanished.

"Adam, what happened?" Tanya asked worriedly, gazing at Adam. "Did we make it through?"

Adam hurried over to the navigation console and began pressing buttons, "According to this, we're getting close to Muranthias and the submarine is not far ahead of us," he reported anxiously.

The Bridge of the submarine was unusually quiet and Kimberly found herself watching Divatox's alien crewmembers pilot the submarine towards Muranthias instead of paying attention to her fitting.

* * *

"Kimberly, if you aren't going to pay attention, I might as well just forget it," Rita angrily scoffed.

Kimberly swallowed hard and looked back at Rita, "Sorry, I was just distracted," she replied, trying very hard to hide the fear in her voice about what was going to happen. "I was just thinking about…"

"…How evil you are going to look as Zedison's bride," Rita finished in an amused voice. "Well?"

For a moment, Kimberly was confused and then she realized that she was now facing a full length magic mirror that Rita had obviously conjured up with her magic wand; the dress was floor-length and silver like a clean sword with long, sweeping sleeves. Her hair was up and had a silver crown covering it.

"Mother?" a tired voice asked as the Bridge doors suddenly slid open. "Mother, I'm ready."

Rita turned her head just in time to see Zedd help Zedison, who was wearing a red and silver ninja suit without the hood, walk on to the Bridge, "What is this, the social club?" Divatox scoffed irritably.

"Father helped me with my suit and hair," Zedison spoke in a faint voice. "I hope it's all right, Mother."

Rita smiled, "You've never looked better," she replied evilly. "The wedding will be marvelous…"

"All right, that's IT!" Divatox shouted angrily as she stood up. "Guards, seize Rita and Zedd NOW!"

Rita and Zedd were horrified when several alien crewmembers moved away from their stations and surrounded Rita and Zedd, "What is THIS?!" Rita shouted angrily. "Divatox, we had a deal!"

"Take the parents of the groom to their own private cell," Divatox hissed in a voice filled with disgust.

As Rita and Zedd were led off, Divatox turned her attention to Zedison and Kimberly, "You two will unleash Maligore with your union and then you'll watch as your little friends are fed to Maligore so that he has energy to destroy the world," she said in an amused voice. "He'll destroy everything…"

"What about my mother and father?" Zedison asked in a shaky voice. "I need…I need to be near them."

Divatox scoffed, "Go ahead, weakling, you know the way," she snapped. "You go with him, Kimberly."

Kimberly nodded and held out her arm to Zedison. As they turned away, Divatox flicked her hands at the two of them and they both fell to the floor unconscious with Zedison's hand still on Kimberly's arm.

"Never turn your back on a space pirate, kids," Divatox hissed in an amused voice. "Elgar, Goldar!"

* * *

"…Now, the surgery will take about half an hour, but you'll probably be asleep for a little longer than that," Dr. Aaron Cranston, who had just recently decided to come back to work on a more full-time basis now that Billy was away and occupied with his own projects, said as he lingered by Justin's bedside.

Justin nodded, but didn't speak because it would hurt his throat too much, "I think Justin's a little afraid of the surgery, Doctor Cranston," Dr. Oliver replied, remembering the conversation that he and Justin had had at three o clock in the morning when Justin had woken up terrified about having surgery.

"There's no need to be scared, Justin," Aaron replied in a gentle voice as he smiled at Justin. "You'll be given some medicine to make you sleepy before the surgery. Surgery can be a scary thing, I know…"

Frowning, Justin opened his mouth to reply, but Dr. Oliver shook his head, "Rest your throat," he said in a gentle voice, smiling at Aaron. "If you start talking too much right now, you'll start coughing."

"A nurse should be in soon to take Justin to pre-op," Aaron replied gently. "I'm supposed to be scrubbing, but I thought I'd come in and answer any questions you might have about the surgery."

Justin shook his head and sighed, "I'll see you in and after surgery, okay?" Aaron said in a gentle voice as he moved to the door. "Doctor Oliver can stay with you until the nurse comes and you'll see him after."

"Thank you, Doctor Cranston," Justin whispered as he looked at Aaron. "Thank you for helping me."

Aaron smiled, "You're very welcome," he replied gently. "Try and get some rest now, okay?"

"Will you go visit Rocky while I'm being operated on?" Justin whispered to Dr. Oliver as Aaron left the room to go change and scrub. "I had a bad dream about him last night; I dreamed that he died…"

Dr. Oliver's eyes widened, "Rocky is not dying," he replied worriedly as a nurse came into the room.

"Hi Justin, I'm here to take you to pre-op," the nurse said in a gentle voice. "Ready to go?"

Smiling, Dr. Oliver got to his feet, "I'll see you after," he said. "Just relax and be brave, okay Justin?"

"Doctor Oliver, could I please have a hug?" Justin asked softly. "I wouldn't normally ask, but…"

Dr. Oliver nodded and gently gave Justin a hug, "Now rest your vocal cords, okay kiddo?" he said in a gentle voice as he hobbled over to the doorway. "I'll go visit Rocky and see you when you wake up."

Justin nodded and was silent as Dr. Oliver hobbled from the room, leaving him alone with the nurse.

* * *

"Is that the island ahead?" Tanya asked as she came on to the deck and saw a large piece of land in the distance that Jason, Adam, and Katherine were already looking at. "It looks a little bit scary…"

There were footsteps and Tanya turned to see Tommy and Laura helping Malcolm up to the top deck with their bags in hand, "According to the sensor equipment, the submarine docked at a hidden port not far from here and it's now empty; whoever was in the submarine obviously went on to the island." Adam explained in a somber voice. "There's a message from Zordon implemented into the console that says that we're supposed to keep the ship away from the shore because it'll get damaged otherwise…"

"Malcolm, did you get something to eat after we morphed like you said?" Jason asked worriedly.

Malcolm nodded, "We'll take our Zords around to the dock and then see if there's some kind of trail leading to where everyone is," Tommy spoke in a nervous voice. "I only hope that we're not too late."

* * *

When Kimberly opened her eyes, the first thing she realized was that she was hanging over a black pit with her arms up and over her head; the next thing she realized was that Zedison was hanging beside her with his hands up in a similar fashion, "Kimberly?" a faint, nervous voice suddenly spoke.

"Zedison, where are we?" Kimberly asked anxiously, temporarily forgetting that Zedison was blind.

Zedison sighed, "Please, Kimberly, I'm not Zedison," he replied in an unusually soft voice that was full of an Australian accent. "I was for a while, but when I woke up here, I realized that I'm Mark Hillard."

"Do you remember anything about your time as Zedison?" Kimberly asked softly. "All of the…?"

Mark sighed, "Unfortunately, I do," he replied somberly. "Where are we, anyway? I can't see."

"I don't know, Mark," Kimberly replied anxiously, realizing that Mark was as terrified as she was.

Before Mark could reply, the room filled with light that caused Kimberly to close her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she was shocked to see the pit filled with fire and lava and the rock walls of a gruesome looking cavern. Loud tribal music suddenly filled her ears, as did loud, evil cackling.

"Ah, the sacrifices have finally woken up!" Divatox's amused voice shouted. "Let the guests gather!"

* * *

The seven Zords came out of the water all at once and quickly transformed into their vehicular form as they hit the shore, "Tommy, my Zord's detecting two life forms about 50 meters from our current position," Tanya's voice reported. "There's also a large structure about 70 meters from us…"

"My sensors say the same thing, Tommy," Jason's voice cut in. "Should we proceed on foot?"

There was a sigh, "Affirmative," Tommy's voice replied. "All Zords stop and we'll proceed on foot."

* * *

Just on the other side of the medium sized clearing, Billy frowned when he heard the slamming of vehicle doors, "Billy, what's that?" Bulk, who had helped Billy carry Skull's stretcher from the submarine to where they were being forced to wait until the ceremony began. "Should I find some sort of…?"

"Just make sure Skull is comfortable, Bulk," Billy replied as he gazed at Skull, who was laying on the stretcher semi-conscious with a hand still on his abdomen. "Maybe we're about to get some help."

Before Billy could move, there was a rustling in the greenery that separated them from the sea, "I knew it; we're done for," Bulk whimpered as he knelt down beside Skull. "Hey buddy, you've gotta hold on…"

Suddenly, Tommy, Jason, Katherine, Adam, Tanya, Malcolm, and Laura came through the clearing and were shocked to see Bulk kneeling beside a seriously injured Skull and Billy lingering beside them. The seven Rangers were protected by their suits, so Bulk didn't know who they were, but Billy did.

"Skull, it's the Power Rangers!" Bulk said in an excited voice, gazing up down at Skull. "We're saved…"

Skull sighed and immediately broke into a coughing fit just as Goldar and Rito came into the clearing, "It's time for the ceremony, you useless little sacrifices!" Rito chortled, failing to notice the Rangers.

"Uh, Rito," Goldar said, suddenly noticing the Rangers standing there. "We've got a problem…"

It was then that Rito noticed the seven Power Rangers standing there, "We've gotta tell Divatox!" he exclaimed in a nervous voice as he grabbed Bulk by the arm. "You're not much, but you'll do."

Ignoring Bulk's anxious protests, Goldar and Rito dragged Bulk off into the structure, "Billy, what happened to Skull?" Jason asked, seeing how pale and in pain Skull looked. "Did he relapse?"

"No, Goldar tortured him on the submarine and Skull already had a low immune system because he's still recovering from the cancer," Billy explained in a worried voice. "He can't move very well."

A large bang from inside the structure suddenly caught the attention of the Rangers, "What's going on in there?" Tommy asked worriedly. "I'm guessing we missed the wedding and are in time for the party?"

Billy shook his head, "There's not going to be a wedding; that was a ruse," he replied worriedly. "Divatox plans to sacrifice Kimberly and Zedison in order to unleash Maligore; Maligore will destroy Earth."

"We have to save Kimberly and Mark," Katherine spoke up worriedly. "We also have to save Bulk…"

Laura sighed and knelt down next to Skull, "Eugene, how are you feeling?" she asked in a gentle voice.

"Look after Bulk, Mark, and Billy," Skull said in a faint voice. "Rescue Kimberly; she means a lot…to me…"

Tommy was floored at Skull's comment, but put it aside in his mind, "I'll stay with Skull," Billy offered, secretly planning to finalize his plans while keeping Skull comfortable. "Skull, you hanging in there?"

"Yeah," Skull replied in a faint voice as he watched the seven Rangers move towards the structure.

Billy nodded and quickly took several small devices out of his pocket and began to work quietly.

* * *

The sight of Rocky being not only out of bed, but in a wheelchair by the window was a shock to Dr. Oliver, but he quickly calmed himself as he knocked on the door, "Doctor Oliver, how are you?" Rocky asked in a tired, yet cheerful voice as he turned in his wheelchair. "What brings you by the hospital?"

"Justin, actually," Dr. Oliver replied somberly. "He wasn't feeling well last night."

Rocky's smile faded, "Aw man, I'm sorry to hear that," he replied softly. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"Yes, Justin will be all right," Dr. Oliver stated gently. "He asked me to come see how you were."

Rocky sighed, "I was really weak the other day and then I had this weird dream that made me feel a lot stronger," he replied in an awed voice. "I dreamt that Malcolm and Laura visited me in my hospital room and healed me to the point where I would at least be all right. I still have a bit of paralysis, but I can manage with a wheelchair and I'm probably going to start physio in the next day or two."

"Interesting dream," Dr. Oliver replied, knowing full well that Malcolm and Laura had risked their lives and ability to use their powers just to make sure that Rocky would be all right. "Oh, by the way, I got guardianship of Justin; once he's released from here, I have an extra room at my house for him…"

A worried look crossed Rocky's face, "Shoot," he said in an anxious voice. "Justin's birthday is coming up in a few days and Malcolm and I had planned to take him to the beach for a bit of a barbecue…"

"Oh, Rocky, I don't know if Justin will be feeling up to a barbecue for at least a few days," Dr. Oliver replied in a concerned voice. "You see, Justin's in surgery right now having his tonsils removed."

Rocky's eyes widened, "Surgery?" he asked in a shocked voice. "My mom told me that I had to have some of that when I first got here to relieve the pressure in my spine, but I don't remember any of it. I can imagine that Justin's going to be miserable for a while, though. Is there anything I can do for him?"

"Maybe, if your parents let you, you could visit Justin later?" Dr. Oliver asked just as Rosa DeSantos, who was dressed in a long dress with her long brown hair in a ponytail, came into the room. "Ah, hello there, Mrs. DeSantos; I'm Doctor Oliver from Angel Grove High and I was just seeing how Rocky was doing."

Rosa smiled, "Ah, Doctor Oliver!" she replied in an enthusiastic voice. "Rocky has told us all about you and how much you've helped him with his confidence. It's a miracle how quickly Rocky is healing."

"Mom, do you remember that kid named Justin I told you about?" Rocky asked, gazing at his mom. "I just found out that Justin's having surgery and I was wondering if I could visit him a little later on."

Nodding, Rosa gently hugged Rocky, "My Rocky is always looking out for others," she replied in a pleasant voice. "You can visit Justin later if you get back into bed now and get some rest now, okay?"

"Rocky, you better do as your mother says," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as he hobbled back towards the door. "I'm going to head back upstairs and wait for Justin to get out of surgery. See you later."

Suddenly too tired to speak, Rocky nodded and Dr. Oliver slowly hobbled down the hallway back towards the elevator, ignoring the aching in his leg as he moved. He pressed the elevator button, waited a few seconds, and when the elevator door opened, he was surprised to see David standing there holding a large bag full of fast food. David frowned at seeing how exhausted Dr. Oliver looked.

"David?" Dr. Oliver asked tiredly as he hobbled into the elevator. "What are you doing here?"

David smiled as the door slid closed, "I thought I'd come by and see if you wanted company while you waited for Justin to get out of surgery," he replied pleasantly. "I also brought us both some dinner."

"David, you are a saint," Dr. Oliver said in a relieved voice. "We can eat while we sit in the waiting room and I can put my leg up for a little while. I've been so worried about Tommy and the others that I've been up and around since I woke up this morning. My leg's absolutely killing me now, so it needs rest."

David nodded, "I hope they all come back safely, Uncle Frank," he replied somberly. "I really do."

* * *

Tommy, Jason, Katherine, Adam, Tanya, Malcolm, and Laura entered the structure and were horrified to see that Kimberly and Zedison were hanging over a lava pit while Divatox, Elgar, Goldar, and Rito jeered at them from the sidelines.

Rita and Zedd were being held against the wall by two native Muranthians who were holding spears at their throats. Bulk was being pinned against another wall by two more spear-welding natives and he looked scared out of his mind. Suddenly, the loud music stopped.

"Welcome to the ceremony of sacrifice!" Divatox shouted in an enthusiastic voice. "Let the ceremony begin! Zedison, son of Zedd, do you declare your loyalty to evil forever that you may have bliss in it?"

There was a heavy silence, "No, I do not!" Mark yelled in an anxious voice. "My name is Mark Hillard!"

"WHAT?!" Rita yelled angrily, suddenly realizing that the spell over Zedison had failed. "ZEDDY!"

Zedd grunted, "I didn't expect the boy's spirit to be stronger than our spell," he hissed angrily.

"Foolish boy, the spell to unleash Maligore will not work with your weak spirited gesture!" Divatox shouted angrily as she hurled a knife towards the rope that was holding Mark and Kimberly up.

Mark frowned at hearing the noise of the knife and promptly swung himself and Kimberly to the left, barely escaping the knife, "Guys, let's go!" Tommy yelled, anxious to stop Maligore from surfacing.

"NO!" Divatox yelled as the seven Turbo Power Rangers suddenly ran into view. "ATTACK!"

Suddenly, the knife hit the opposite wall of the pit and ricocheted back towards Zedison and Kimberly just as the Muranthian natives, Goldar, Rito, and Elgar began to engage in combat with Tommy, Jason, Katherine, Adam, Tanya, Malcolm, and Laura. The knife battered the rope, severely weakening it.

"Kimberly, do you think you can swing over to the edge and pull yourself free?" Mark asked in an anxious voice. "If you can do that, tell Kat that I love her and that I'm so sorry for everything."

Kimberly gasped, "Mark, I'm not going to leave you here," she replied in an anxious voice.

"NEITHER OF YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVE!" Divatox shouted as she grabbed Rita's wand and aimed it at the rock pit, immediately causing a red beam to shoot out of it and hit the rock, completely shattering the barrier around the pit below Kimberly and Mark. "MALIGORE, BY THE POWER OF EVIL, I…!"

Divatox suddenly screamed as Malcolm broke away from the group and launched himself at her with his staff in hand, "You finish that sentence, space witch, and I'll make you wish you hadn't," he hissed, grunting as he and Divatox fought with their respective weapons. "You and your cronies are done!"

Seeing that the rope was quickly fraying apart, Laura and Katherine hurried over to the edge, "Kim, see if you can swing over to us," Laura said in an anxious voice. "Kat and I will pull you both to safety."

"Okay," Kimberly whimpered as she worked hard to swing herself and Mark over to the side.

Suddenly, the rope strained a little more, "This rope can't take the weight of two people, Kim," Mark said in a pained voice as Kim continued trying to swing them to the side. "I'm going to drop, okay?"

"Kat, hurry!" Kim yelled in an anxious voice. "Mark's going to drop himself from the rope!"

Kat looked at Laura anxiously, but before they could speak, the rope tore a little more and Mark silently freed one of his hands, "Kat, I love you so much!" he cried out in an anxious voice. "It won't hold me!"

"MARK, NO!" Katherine screamed, causing the fighting to stop momentarily. "JUST HANG ON!"

Rita and Zedd suddenly looked horrified, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, DIVATOX!" she screeched, shoving Muranthian natives aside as she hurried over to Divatox and grabbed the wand. "MY SON IS DYING!"

Horrified at Mark's words, the Muranthian natives suddenly started screaming and scrambled out of the structure as fast as they could. Elgar, Goldar, and Rito stopped in their tracks and watched as Jason, Malcolm, Tommy, Tanya, and Adam hurried over to Katherine and Laura. Malcolm suddenly sighed and held out the staff that had come with his Turbo Ranger uniform; it was almost time to begin the plan.

"Farewell," Mark said in a somber voice as he released the rope and fell towards the fiery pit of lava.

Swallowing hard, Malcolm ran backwards and then took a run at the pit, "MALCOLM!" Katherine screamed as Malcolm dived into the pit after Mark, leaving Kimberly hanging on to the rope alone.

* * *

"_Malcolm and Mark, two warriors of Phaedos who embarked on very different paths."_

Malcolm opened his eyes and was surprised to find himself standing in front of Dulcea and Ninjor, "Am I dead?" he asked in a nervous voice, suddenly realizing that he was wearing a white karate outfit.

"No, Malcolm, you are in another realm of power that is buried deep inside of you," Dulcea explained as she and Ninjor stepped aside, revealing an unconscious Mark laying on the ground in an identical outfit.

Malcolm frowned and walked over to Mark, "Is Mark dead?" he asked as he knelt down beside Mark.

"The evil spells that Rita and Zedd had him under have been broken, but Mark is very weak," Dulcea explained in a somber voice. "You were brothers, but were separated by a great galactic war and, through circumstance and choice, each of you chose a different path in the realm of mortality."

Malcolm shook his head, "Mark was put under evil spells and not responsible for what he did," he replied in an anxious voice, gazing up at Dulcea and Ninjor. "If Mark is truly free of the evil spells now, give him the opportunity to choose a better path; he has suffered enough at the hands of evil."

"Would you be prepared to sacrifice so that Mark may have another chance?" Dulcea asked softly as she walked a circle around where Malcolm was kneeling next to Mark. "What will you sacrifice, Malcolm?"

Malcolm was silent for a moment, "My Turbo powers," he replied softly. "Will that be enough?"

Dulcea said nothing and vanished, leaving only Ninjor, "There is a chance that with sacrificing your powers, you will also sacrifice your life," Ninjor explained. "Are you truly prepared to do that?"

"I am," Malcolm replied as his Turbo Morpher appeared on his wrist. "WHITE TURBO POWER!"

The entire room suddenly filled with a white light and Malcolm suddenly felt very lightheaded, "You will be blessed for your choice, Malcolm," Ninjor's voice echoed in his ears as everything went black.

"_Malcolm, be brave,"_ Dulcea's voice filtered into Malcolm's fading consciousness. _"You chose this out of pure compassion and your sacrifice will never be forgotten."_

* * *

A wave of shock rippled through Billy and he suddenly looked up from the device he had been building that would end the conflict once and for all, "It's time," he said in a somber, but determined voice.

"Time for what?" Skull asked in a faint voice as he struggled to ignore the pain he was in. "Billy?"

Billy sighed, closed the mechanism of the device, and looked at Skull, "If I don't make it home, Eugene, will you do me a favor?" he asked in an unusually solemn voice. "Take care of Kimberly for me?"

"You're gonna make it back to Angel Grove, man," Skull replied in a weak voice. "You weren't beaten."

Billy cringed as Skull swallowed hard and immediately coughed up blood, "I'm dying and nothing you do is going to stop that," Skull whispered weakly. "It's getting harder and harder to stay awake…"

Suddenly, there was a loud boom from inside the structure and a frightened Kimberly was dragged into the clearing by a frightened looking Bulk, "Bulkie, Kimberly?" Skull asked in a faint voice. "Are you real?"

"Mark dropped himself into the pit and the Power Rangers saved me," Kimberly explained in a trembling voice as she sank to the ground next to Skull. "The natives all ran away and things are getting ugly…"

Swallowing hard, Billy got to his feet, "Bulk, Kimberly, stay with Skull," he said as he walked over to Kimberly. "Kimberly, if something happens to me, promise that you'll let Skull take care of you."

Overwhelmed and confused by what was happening, Kimberly nodded, "I promise," she whispered.

Billy nodded and silently walked towards the structure holding the device in his arms, "Billy said it was time for something," Skull whispered in a worried voice. "What exactly did he mean by that?"

* * *

"Gold Turbo Power!" Malcolm heard Jason say in an anxious voice as he felt a morpher being pressed against his chest. "I hereby sacrifice all of my Turbo powers in order to save Malcolm, my cousin…"

Malcolm suddenly felt a surge of power fill his body and he opened his eyes to find Jason kneeling beside him holding the Morpher on his chest, "Jason?" he asked in a faint voice. "What happened?"

"You died for a few minutes and I gave up my powers to revive you," Jason explained in a worried voice as he put the Morpher away and offered Malcolm a hand. "Can you sit up? We've gotta get out of here."

Malcolm nodded and winced as he was helped up by Jason, "Where's Mark and Kimberly?" he asked.

Jason looked over to the other end of the room and Malcolm saw Katherine, Tommy, Tanya, Laura, and Adam all gathered around Mark, who was lying on the ground trembling, "Mark's fine, but very shaken and confused," Jason explained as Malcolm suddenly sank a bit. "Easy there; take slow steps."

"Jason, Malcolm, it's time," Billy said in an anxious voice as there was suddenly a loud rumbling sound.

Jason looked confused, but Malcolm looked strangely somber, "Billy, are you sure?" Malcolm asked in a pained voice as he struggled to stay on his feet and ignore the pain radiating through his tired body.

"Yes," Billy replied in a determined voice as the shaking continued. "You'd all better get out of here."

Jason frowned and was about to protest, but Malcolm quickly dragged him over to where Katherine, Tommy, Tanya, Laura, Adam, and Mark were, "We've got to get back to the Zords," Malcolm said, wincing as he felt the last of his powers slowly dissipating to the point where he would unmorph.

"What about Billy?" Tanya asked, suddenly noticing that Billy was there and preparing a device.

Malcolm sighed, "We've got to get Mark, Kimberly, and Bulk and go," he replied in a faint voice.

Before Jason, Katherine, Adam, Katherine, Mark, Tanya, Tommy, Tanya, or Laura could protest, Billy pressed some buttons on the device and watched sadly as his friends disappeared from the structure.

Rita, Zedd, Divatox, Elgar, Goldar, and Rito were too busy arguing amongst themselves to notice Billy walking towards the open pit with the device activated. With a sigh, Billy threw the device into the pit.

"Farewell," Billy whispered as he watched the device fall into the lava. "I hope you all have good lives."

* * *

The Turbo Zords weren't difficult to load into the Ghost Galleon and, after settling Bulk, Kimberly, and Skull below deck so they'd be comfortable, the seven Rangers assembled together on the top deck. Every single one of them had suffered some kind of injury during the fight, but all they wanted to do now was go home.

"Malcolm, do you want to tell us why we left Billy behind with all of the villains?" Tanya asked in an angry voice as she walked up to where Malcolm was standing beside Katherine and Jason.

Malcolm sighed and quickly turned away, "I promised that I wouldn't," he replied quietly. "I can't."

"Promised who?" Adam asked in a confused voice as he walked closer to Malcolm. "Did Billy…?"

Even though his head and body were filled with pain, Malcolm shook his head, "Adam, drop it," he replied in an unusually tense voice as he slowly limped towards the edge and grabbed hold of the side to support his weakening body. "Katherine, Tommy, can you two go check on Bulk, Kim, and Skull?"

"Malcolm, are you okay?" Katherine asked worriedly, suddenly noticing Malcolm's shaky tone of voice.

Jason frowned and immediately went to his cousin's side, "Talk to me," he whispered softly.

"Everything hurts, Jason," Malcolm replied in a faint voice as he placed a hand on his chest. "A lot."

Jason nodded, but before he could reply, the structure suddenly exploded in a hail of lava and debris; it was fortunate that the Ghost Galleon was far enough out to sea to avoid being hit, but everyone on the top deck realized that Billy hadn't gotten away and had most likely died in that terrible explosion.

"Billy," Malcolm moaned weakly as he suddenly collapsed to the deck and promptly passed out.

* * *

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